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[Tovarisc]

The special counsel investigating possible ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia’s government has taken over a separate criminal probe involving former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and may expand his inquiry to investigate the roles of the attorney general and deputy attorney general in the firing of FBI Director James Comey, The Associated Press has learned.

The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Manafort, who was forced to resign as Trump campaign chairman in August amid questions over his business dealings years ago in Ukraine, predated the 2016 election and the counterintelligence probe that in July began investigating possible collusion between Moscow and associates of Trump.

The move to consolidate the matters, involving allegations of kleptocracy of Ukrainian government funds, indicates that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is assuming a broad mandate in his new role running the sensational investigation. The expansiveness of Mueller’s investigation was described to the AP. No one familiar with the matter has been willing to discuss the scope of his investigation on the record because it is just getting underway and because revealing details could complicate its progress.

In an interview separately Friday with the AP, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein acknowledged that Mueller could expand his inquiry to include Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ and Rosenstein’s own roles in the decision to fire Comey, who was investigating the Trump campaign. Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller as special counsel to take over the investigation, wrote the memorandum intended to justify Trump’s decision to fire Comey. Sessions met with Trump and Rosenstein to discuss Trump’s decision to fire him despite Sessions’ pledge not to become involved in the Russia case.

Rosenstein told the AP that if he were to become a subject of Mueller’s investigation, he would recuse himself from any oversight of Mueller. Under Justice Department rules, Mueller is required to seek permission from Rosenstein to investigate additional matters other than ones already specified in the paperwork formally appointing Mueller.

“I’ve talked with Director Mueller about this,” Rosenstein said. “He’s going to make the appropriate decisions, and if anything that I did winds up being relevant to his investigation then, as Director Mueller and I discussed, if there’s a need from me to recuse I will.”

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment on the scope of the investigation.

https://apnews.com/35b610bf8d664167...'s-Trump-investigation-includes-Manafort-case

This on top of him taking over probe into Flynn: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1384491

Mueller is everywhere.

 

[mackaveli]

If rosenstein recuse himself who would take over?

 

[ShinySylvee]

Wait so who's next in line if Rosenstein recuses himself?

 

[Steel]

Wait so who's next in line if Rosenstein recuses himself?

Mueller. That's the point of a special counsel

 

[Zolo]

“I’ve talked with Director Mueller about this,” Rosenstein said. “He’s going to make the appropriate decisions, and if anything that I did winds up being relevant to his investigation then, as Director Mueller and I discussed, if there’s a need from me to recuse I will.”

This sounds reassuring though I imagine Mueller wouldn't do it since someone worse who may end the investigation would replace him immediately.

 

[cameron]

This sounds reassuring though I imagine Mueller wouldn't do it since someone worse who may end the investigation would replace him immediately.

At this point, I don't believe it's possible for anyone but Mueller to end the investigation.


The question about Rosenstein's recusal was raised a few days ago. Politico: Will Rosenstein recuse in Trump-Russia probe?

That arrangement is troubling to some lawyers and ethics experts who say it puts Rosenstein in the awkward and arguably conflicted position of overseeing an investigation where he could be an important witness.

If Mueller decides to explore whether Comey’s firing was part of an effort or scheme to obstruct justice, Rosenstein might be called in as someone with first-hand knowledge material to the probe.

“If the investigation encompasses Comey’s firing, it would seem Rosenstein was involved in that and he’d be a witness,” said Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis and a prominent expert on government ethics rules. “If it is the case that the investigation reaches the dismissal of Comey, then I think it would be inappropriate for Rosenstein to have any substantive involvement in the investigation other than as a witness.”

Clark added that given Trump’s statement in an NBC interview that he had the Russia probe on his mind when he decided to dismiss Comey, it seems inevitable Mueller will have to dig into what happened.

Some ethics experts said it is simply too soon to say whether Rosenstein would need to recuse, although they didn’t rule out that doing so might become nessary.

“We don’t yet know enough to say that Rosenstein cannot perform these functions in light of his role in the Comey firing,” said New York University law professor Stephen Gillers. “If that role was essentially a ‘walk-on’ within the scope of the Mueller investigation, there would be no problem. But if, as events unfold, it appears that the Mueller investigation could embarrass Rosenstein or suggest his wrongdoing or unlawfulness, or if Rosenstein were simply to become an important witness, Rosenstein, like [Attorney General Jeff] Sessions, would have to step aside.”

 

[KernelPanic]

John Miller will then take over.

 

[Vena]

I'd have to imagine Mueller has found multiple threads at this point, because he's reaching further and further with his inquiries, and he's (from the looks of it) going after leverage-worthy kompromat on Flynn at the very least. Rosenstein was probably the absolute worst person to try and throw under the bus by Trump and Sessions... The last minute/little warning selection of Mueller was, effectively, the hiring of a blood hound against the administration.

To top it off, signaling from Rosenstein that he is ready to recuse and remove himself from Mueller's path could/would indicate he is well aware of the machinations of Mueller's investigation and what he's finding. He's pre-empting any attempts at road-blocking Mueller through the DoJ which, again, could/would indicate that he is aware (from discussions with Mueller) of serious potential charges and/or violations that have already been found.

If Rosenstein recuses himself, then there would be no one to whom Mueller would have to answer to/report or seek approval from, and he'd effectively have open season. I could see this occur if the administration tries to push on Rosenstein or the DoJ, or through Sessions, in some way to attempt to obstruct the ongoing investigation.

 

[TestOfTide]

I don't see the part where is says Rosenstein is possibly involved, just that Rosenstein said he would hypothetically recuse himself if he was being investigated.

 

[SJurgenson]

Wait so who's next in line if Rosenstein recuses himself?

I believe it would the the Associate Attorney General, Rachel Brand.

 

[StoOgE]

I believe it would the the Associate Attorney General, Rachel Brand.

Bush Appointee whom Obama promoted.

Looks like a good place for this to wind up.

 

[Lord Frieza]

You know, it's crazy, we expected to hear a lot of this when Mueller took over, but it seems like it's spreading like wildfire. Tells me one of two things: Dude is dedicated and going at this at fast paced speed, or the FBI already had a lot for him to jump off of that this thing is moving so fast (may also be a combination of both).

 

[StoOgE]

You know, it's crazy, we expected to hear a lot of this when Mueller took over, but it seems like it's spreading like wildfire. Tells me one of two things: Dude is dedicated and going at this at fast paced speed, or the FBI already had a lot for him to jump off of that this thing is moving so fast (may also be a combination of both).

3. Trump and his team are really fucking stupid and did almost nothing to hide what they were doing believing that the power of the administration would shield them from any real harm by being chummy with those around them and using a strong arm with those who were not.

I think the paper trail is probably thick. That Trumps people are even floating using executive privilege to stop Comey from testifying shows just how stupid they are.

 

[SJurgenson]

3. Trump and his team are really fucking stupid and did almost nothing to hide what they were doing believing that the power of the administration would shield them from any real harm by being chummy with those around them and using a strong arm with those who were not.

I think the paper trail is probably thick. That Trumps people are even floating using executive privilege to stop Comey from testifying shows just how stupid they are.

Yeah. If the history of this administration shows anything, it is that they monumentally underestimated the political, legal, and beurocratic hurdles and backlash they would face.

They assumed they were unaccountable and unrestricted to do whatever they want after the elections was won - and they probably assumed they would face no consequences if they had lost.