Quote:The Justice Department on Wednesday appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to oversee the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including potential collusion between President Donald Trump's campaign associates and Russian officials.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to the position in a letter obtained by CNN. Attorney General Jeff Sessions previously recused himself from any involvement in the Russia investigation due to his role as a prominent campaign adviser and surrogate.
[/url]As special counsel, Mueller is "authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters," according to the Justice Department order Rosenstein signed.
Mueller's appointment aims to quell the wave of criticism that Trump and his administration have faced since Trump fired FBI Director James Comey last week in the middle of the FBI's intensifying investigation into contacts between Trump campaign associates and Russian officials.
In a statement, Trump said an investigation will confirm that "there was no collusion" between his campaign and Russia. "As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know -- there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity. I look forward to this matter concluding quickly. In the meantime, I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country."
In a brief statement, Mueller said, "I accept this responsibility and will discharge it to the best of my ability."
News of the special counsel announcement was closely held. The White House received a heads-up less than an hour before the news broke at 6 p.m. ET. House Speaker Paul Ryan and key congressional leaders also were not notified.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, said the appointment was needed. "I think it was the right thing to do and I believe they saw it as the right thing to do otherwise they're going to have a fight and it's not worth the fight," Feinstein said. "There (is) mutual suspicion of one side and the other. This clears that up and has a person whose reputation is as good as it gets and he'll be very good."
White House didn't want special counsel Calls for a special counsel or prosecutor were rising after The Washington Post and then CNN reported on excerpts of a memo Comey wrote in February, in which Comey wrote that Trump asked him to drop the FBI investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Demands intensified from Democrats on Capitol Hill for the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel or prosecutor to oversee the case. Republicans on Tuesday night began to join those calls.
[url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/17/politics/who-is-robert-mueller/index.html]
Trump was meeting with FBI director candidates when the White House was formally told that a special prosecutor had been named in Russia investigation. The White House counsel informed the president.
"It's still sinking in," one administration official said, describing an air of uncertainty in the West Wing. "We were told about it. Not asked about it."
White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Monday dismissed the idea of a special prosecutor.
"There's, frankly, no need for a special prosecutor. We've discussed this before," Spicer told reporters. "You have two Senate committees that are looking into this, the FBI is conducting their own review. And -- and I think if you even look at what Acting Director (Andrew) McCabe said last week, he made it very clear that they have the resources that they need and that the work continues."
Beyond allegedly asking Comey to quit his investigation into Flynn -- who has been a central focus of the FBI's investigation into contacts between Trump associates and Russia -- Trump said in an interview with NBC last week that he considered the "Russia thing with Trump and Russia' when he decided to fire Comey.
Trump has called the FBI investigation into Russia a "hoax" and "taxpayer funded charade."
Rushed to Ashcroft's hospital room with Comey The appointment could be seen as a signal from Rosenstein. His independence was quickly praised as news of his appointment spread, with many recalling his famous refusal to bow to the demands of West Wing officials during the Bush administration.
When George W. Bush's White House chief of staff and White House counsel sought to get an ailing Attorney General John Ashcroft to reauthorize a warrantless domestic surveillance program that the Justice Department had ruled illegal, Mueller and Comey rushed to the hospital to prevent the Bush officials from taking advantage of Ashcroft.
Comey made it there first, but as Mueller rushed to the hospital he called Ashcroft's security detail and ordered them to prevent the top Bush officials from kicking Comey out of the room.
Mueller later threatened to resign alongside Comey, who was then serving as deputy attorney general, over Bush administration officials' continued attempts to reauthorize the program. They ultimately did not resign as Bush sided with the Justice Department officials.
'Necessary' for 'full confidence' in investigation Rosenstein said he believes a special counsel "is necessary in order for the American people to have full confidence in the outcome."
"In my capacity as acting attorney general, I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authority and appoint a Special Counsel to assume responsibility for this matter," Rosenstein said in a statement, adding that the decision is "not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted."
"What I have determined is that based upon the unique circumstances, the public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command," Rosenstein said.
Mueller was appointed FBI Director by President George W. Bush in 2001 and served until 2013, when Comey took over as head. He will resign from his private law firm WilmerHale to avoid any conflicts of interest, the Justice Department said.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
On a serious note, this is good news for everyone involved. He is non-political, has bipartisan respect and has a no-nonsense approach that will get to the bottom of the investigation quickly and thoroughly. Whether the admin did nothing wrong or did do something wrong, he is the man to find out and end this one way or another.
(05-17-2017, 08:52 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: On a serious note, this is good news for everyone involved. He is non-political, has bipartisan respect and has a no-nonsense approach that will get to the bottom of the investigation quickly and thoroughly. Whether the admin did nothing wrong or did do something wrong, he is the man to find out and end this one way or another.
Him being the right person to do this investigation doesn't mean anything because either side is going to complain and disparage him based solely on if they like his findings. If he returns an outcome favorable to the left, the left will take what he said an exaggerate it 10 fold. If he says something favorable to Trump, the left will say it's another huge conspiracy and demand he be fired. Then a month later when Trump fires him the left will have an epic meltdown saying it's part of a cover up conspiracy. A fair and thorough investigation that truly brings every question to a close won't shut anyone up because the BS they keep screaming about was never fueled by evidence or reason anyways.
(05-17-2017, 09:53 PM)6andcounting Wrote: Him being the right person to do this investigation doesn't mean anything because either side is going to complain and disparage him based solely on if they like his findings. If he returns an outcome favorable to the left, the left will take what he said an exaggerate it 10 fold. If he says something favorable to Trump, the left will say it's another huge conspiracy and demand he be fired. Then a month later when Trump fires him the left will have an epic meltdown saying it's part of a cover up conspiracy. A fair and thorough investigation that truly brings every question to a close won't shut anyone up because the BS they keep screaming about was never fueled by evidence or reason anyways.
"either side"
Indeed.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
(05-17-2017, 09:53 PM)6andcounting Wrote: Him being the right person to do this investigation doesn't mean anything because either side is going to complain and disparage him based solely on if they like his findings. If he returns an outcome favorable to the left, the left will take what he said an exaggerate it 10 fold. If he says something favorable to Trump, the left will say it's another huge conspiracy and demand he be fired. Then a month later when Trump fires him the left will have an epic meltdown saying it's part of a cover up conspiracy. A fair and thorough investigation that truly brings every question to a close won't shut anyone up because the BS they keep screaming about was never fueled by evidence or reason anyways.
(05-17-2017, 09:53 PM)6andcounting Wrote: Him being the right person to do this investigation doesn't mean anything because either side is going to complain and disparage him based solely on if they like his findings. If he returns an outcome favorable to the left, the left will take what he said an exaggerate it 10 fold. If he says something favorable to Trump, the left will say it's another huge conspiracy and demand he be fired. Then a month later when Trump fires him the left will have an epic meltdown saying it's part of a cover up conspiracy. A fair and thorough investigation that truly brings every question to a close won't shut anyone up because the BS they keep screaming about was never fueled by evidence or reason anyways.
It's the perfect storm. The Left lost unexpectedly and they are pissed and the POTUS is just petty enough to care what they say.
When Obama won twice the Right was pissed for about a week then they realized, we need to get back to work. The Left has no such compulsion.
As to the OP: If it is found that Trump tried to halt an FBI investigation for personal gain he should be impeached and leave office in disgrace. If it is found that he shared information as Commander In Chief with Russians that put any American lives in danger, he should be hanged.
(05-17-2017, 10:15 PM)bfine32 Wrote: It's the perfect storm. The Left lost unexpectedly and they are pissed and the POTUS is just petty enough to care what they say.
When Obama won twice the Right was pissed for about a week then they realized, we need to get back to work. The Left has no such compulsion.
As to the OP: If it is found that Trump tried to halt an FBI investigation for personal gain he should be impeached and leave office in disgrace. If it is found that he shared information as Commander In Chief with Russians that put any American lives in danger, he should be hanged.
(05-17-2017, 09:53 PM)6andcounting Wrote: Him being the right person to do this investigation doesn't mean anything because either side is going to complain and disparage him based solely on if they like his findings. If he returns an outcome favorable to the left, the left will take what he said an exaggerate it 10 fold. If he says something favorable to Trump, the left will say it's another huge conspiracy and demand he be fired. Then a month later when Trump fires him the left will have an epic meltdown saying it's part of a cover up conspiracy. A fair and thorough investigation that truly brings every question to a close won't shut anyone up because the BS they keep screaming about was never fueled by evidence or reason anyways.
Personally, I don't really care what the result turns out to be. Just as long as someone reliable and impartial is looking into it. If the admin is clean, let's get this done as quick as possible. If it is dirty, let's get that done as quick as possible as well.
(05-17-2017, 09:53 PM)6andcounting Wrote: Him being the right person to do this investigation doesn't mean anything because either side is going to complain and disparage him based solely on if they like his findings. If he returns an outcome favorable to the left, the left will take what he said an exaggerate it 10 fold. If he says something favorable to Trump, the left will say it's another huge conspiracy and demand he be fired. Then a month later when Trump fires him the left will have an epic meltdown saying it's part of a cover up conspiracy. A fair and thorough investigation that truly brings every question to a close won't shut anyone up because the BS they keep screaming about was never fueled by evidence or reason anyways.
Extremists are on both sides. A real investigation and not just a show for confidence should be enough, either way, for a lot of people to make up their mind.
(05-17-2017, 10:15 PM)bfine32 Wrote: It's the perfect storm. The Left lost unexpectedly and they are pissed and the POTUS is just petty enough to care what they say.
When Obama won twice the Right was pissed for about a week then they realized, we need to get back to work. The Left has no such compulsion.
(05-17-2017, 10:33 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: Personally, I don't really care what the result turns out to be. Just as long as someone reliable and impartial is looking into it. If the admin is clean, let's get this done as quick as possible. If it is dirty, let's get that done as quick as possible as well.
I think that's the majority of people. Whatever the result is, just get it over with.
People are tired of politics. Stuff needs fixed. If this is politics, get it done with and out of the administration's way. On the other hand, if there really is a fire, then get the administration out of the way.
(05-17-2017, 10:53 PM)Benton Wrote: I think that's the majority of people. Whatever the result is, just get it over with.
People are tired of politics. Stuff needs fixed. If this is politics, get it done with and out of the administration's way. On the other hand, if there really is a fire, then get the administration out of the way.
My boss, who is as republican as they come, said HE is tired of Trump...said Trump is nothing more than a distraction from getting anything done like infrastructure and tax reform.
That's the best you'll get from the right. "He's still better than Clinton" is their mantra.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
(05-17-2017, 11:00 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Of course Politicians differ; I've said this many times before (it must have gotten deleted) and that is not the hysteria I am referring to.
If you want to suggest the reaction by the media and the public is anywhere near the same then just say so.
I say we have never seen a reaction to a Presidential Election like this.
What say you?
The media is a popular target, but that's shifting the blame, which resides squarely with both parties playing politics. So is blaming the public (whether people are talking about ignorant voters or voter fraud or whatever manipulation of the facts the situation calls for).
The reaction to Trump from the left is no different than the reaction to Obama from the right. Birthers, muslim accusations, satanism, his role as a 9/11 hijacker, his role as a Christian radical... It was ridiculous. So was the reaction by career politicians like Mitch McConnell who — along with others — vowed not to work with the guy just because he was... not Mitch McConnell.
The difference with Obama's far right beyond silly accusations is that at most he went to a church with a radical Christian pastor (how that qualified him as a Muslim, I'm not sure); as most (so far) with Trump is several members of his campaign in close ties with Russian officials, and — according to the guy most recently investigating the issue — an order from Trump that it not be investigated.
That's not overreaction. Overreaction is a reality television personality claiming the POTUS is born in another country so often that politicians looking to make a name for themselves ask for information they already have. Overreaction is when someone being admired is perceived negatively, so people actually say public employees who spent eight years on strike because they didn't like a co-worker were actually getting their jobs done. Overreaction is dismissing all the smoke because the fire would force some to admit they were wrong.
(05-17-2017, 11:53 PM)Benton Wrote: The media is a popular target, but that's shifting the blame, which resides squarely with both parties playing politics. So is blaming the public (whether people are talking about ignorant voters or voter fraud or whatever manipulation of the facts the situation calls for).
If I were trying to draw similarities I would not bring in opposing politician's reaction. For instance: how long was Obama POTUS before others starting calling for Impeachment? I think Trump made it about a week.
As to the rest: I'll take that as a long yes, that you think the reaction is similar.
"It must have gotten(sic) deleted". Seen others hammered for less insubordination in the past. Apparently some don't appreciate what they have or feel entitled to more...
I've been saying for a while that I wanted special counsel/prosecutor involved so that we could get this over and done with. I'm tried of it because it is distracting our lawmakers from work they should be doing. It's kind of like the Benghazi thing where it was investigated by Congress longer than 9/11 and it was only because elected officials wanted to look like they were doing something. I'm not saying any of these investigations were/are not important, but we have had a dysfunctional Congress for far to long, and whether or not Trump has done anything wrong, he hasn't shown himself to be a competent government official and so we need Congress to be doing their jobs.
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