DOJ Taps Ex-FBI Director Mueller as Special Counsel for Russia Probe

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2016
Posted on Wed May 17, 2017 at 06:58:02 PM EST
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The Department of Justice appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to oversee the investigation into "Russia's alleged involvement in the 2016 presidential election, including any possible involvement of President Donald Trump's campaign in that effort."

The announcement was made by Deputy AG Ron Rosenstein, who released a statement:

"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 in a statement. "A special counsel is necessary in order for the American people to have full confidence in the outcome. Our nation is grounded on the rule of law, and the Public must be assured that government officials administer the law fairly."

Rosenstein's order made it clear Mueller has authority to investigate people associated with Trump's campaign.

Mueller agreed to resign from his private law firm, Wilmer Hale, to pursue the probe, the Justice Department said. He was appointed under Justice Department regulations allowing the naming of a special counsel from outside the department when a conflict of interest exists or under "extraordinary circumstances."

Democrats were pleased:

Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. “Former Director Mueller is exactly the right kind of individual for this job. I now have significantly greater confidence that the investigation will follow the facts wherever they lead.”

< Republicans: Abandon Trump or Sink With Him | How to Brief Trump on National Security >

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DOJ Taps Ex-FBI Director Mueller as Special Counsel for Russia Probe | 100 comments (100 topical)

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Richard Ben-Veniste just said (5.00 / 2) (#1)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 07:10:23 PM EST

Mueller now literally stands in the shoes of the U.S. AG.

one of the more comforting things ive heard in a while.

: Although (none / 0) (#2)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 07:49:50 PM EST

Those tiny little shoes will probably make his feet hurt like hell.

They are upset (5.00 / 2) (#6)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 08:08:38 PM EST

Because Starr started out with a nothing there land deal and ended up with an intern

The places this could go have several people thinking about finding very high balcony tonight I'm thinkin.

Or a nice little country (none / 0) (#8)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 08:11:23 PM EST

With no extradition treaty.


Costa Rica! (none / 0) (#83)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 18, 2017 at 04:42:47 PM EST

That's where fugitive financier and erstwhile Nixon crony Robert Vesco eventually fled in 1973, with federal charges pending against him for securities fraud.

Eventually, however, Vesco settled down in Cuba, which proved to be a big mistake because the Castro regime took an even dimmer view of his scurrilous activities than did the U.S. Treasury Dept. He was indicted in 1996 for fraud and illicit economic activity by the Cuban government and quickly sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. He reportedly died of lung cancer in a Havana hospital in 2007.

Aloha.


wow (none / 0) (#86)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 04:57:41 PM EST

never heard that.

the guy probably spent his last days wishing he was in one of those cushy white collar federal prisons. with cable.


I don't know... (5.00 / 1) (#105)
by kdog on Fri May 19, 2017 at 09:06:58 AM EST

a con in Cuba probably gets better cancer treatment than a US con.


: Vesco actually moved to Cuba in 1982 ... (none / 0) (#107)
by Donald from Hawaii on Fri May 19, 2017 at 11:11:43 AM EST

... on order to access its renowned healthcare system. But as the Castro government made clear to him, his residency into the country was contingent upon him keeping his nose clean and not engaging in his various financial schemes. And cons being cons, Vesco proved unable to keep his promise 'cause hey, grifters gotta grift.
Reportedly, Vesco was sternly warned off by Fidel Castro personally from getting involved in the lucrative U.S. cocaine business back in 1989, when word got out that he was negotiating with Columbian Pablo Escobar's cartel. But then he attempted to financially scam the Castro government itself, which was a very foolish thing for him to do. Hence, he died in government custody.
Aloha.

Yep, we used to see Vesco (none / 0) (#102)
by fishcamp on Thu May 18, 2017 at 11:05:56 PM EST

When fishing up north in Guanacaste Province. There was only one gambling casino then, and he was there every night. The rumor was he had to leave CR because he didn't pay for the mansion he had built.


: You've had an amazing life (none / 0) (#104)
by Militarytracy on Fri May 19, 2017 at 03:34:12 AM EST

Flynn, why was Flynn trying to get immunity? (none / 0) (#10)
by Militarytracy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 09:02:49 PM EST

He's counterintelligence, was he running an op on all of us?

We've been told he was a brilliant counterintelligence officer. But we've been told he did unethical pathetically stupid things. Perhaps the Army expectations and competency rating system is actually a POS?

I'm so confused :)


NYTimes reporting just in (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 09:06:05 PM EST

The last hour that Flynn told the transition team he was under federal investigation BEFORE he was named National Security Advisor

Trump new. They still gave him the job.

WTF


This puts a big hole in the reason given for his (5.00 / 3) (#16)
by vml68 on Wed May 17, 2017 at 10:09:41 PM EST

firing, namely that he lied to Mike "I can't be alone with a woman who is not my wife" Pence. Pence was head of the transition team!


Yes, but this is (none / 0) (#65)
by KeysDan on Thu May 18, 2017 at 12:52:12 PM EST

likely to be Pence's stupidity defense. Pence could not join the meeting with Transition officials when Flynn fessed up to his foreign entanglements because there was a woman in the meeting and mother was at church.


Ha! I don't know what I find weirder, (5.00 / 1) (#67)
by vml68 on Thu May 18, 2017 at 01:26:00 PM EST

that he can't be alone with a woman who is not his wife or that he calls his wife "mother".


Could he be alone with me? (5.00 / 1) (#71)
by MKS on Thu May 18, 2017 at 02:20:46 PM EST

I could be a female :)


Reagan used to call Nancy "mommy" (none / 0) (#75)
by jondee on Thu May 18, 2017 at 03:14:17 PM EST

it's part of the homespun, return-to-simpler-times aura that Mayberry Machievellis like Pence and Ted Cruz work hard to project.


Well, they've succeeded in the Mayberry part. (none / 0) (#84)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 18, 2017 at 04:46:24 PM EST

They both frequently come across like Barney Fife and Goober Pyle.


I think they've got the Machievelli (none / 0) (#93)
by jondee on Thu May 18, 2017 at 06:34:17 PM EST

part down pretty well too.


Not really (none / 0) (#94)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 06:41:37 PM EST

Machiavelli meets Jackass maybe. This chapter titled Rosensteins Revenge


: I don't know what the endgame (none / 0) (#106)
by jondee on Fri May 19, 2017 at 10:54:33 AM EST

will be for Pence, but I suspect the oily unctuous Mr Haney is going to wring every blessed droplet out of that smiley-face cutthroat christian schtick for long time.

Here (none / 0) (#12)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 09:07:49 PM EST

My head can't explode anymore :) (none / 0) (#13)
by Militarytracy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 09:22:18 PM EST

Consider this (none / 0) (#15)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 09:37:23 PM EST

Based on what we know and have seen from Agent Orange you know he is almost certainly needing to be physically restrained to prevent him from firing Mueller. I had understood he could not do that but in a conversation with Rachel when she asked the guy who wrote the statute what we should worry about he said Trump COULD fire him. Trump must be locked in a closet. I would almost bet at some point he will escape and try to fire him.

He is now a cornered rat who doesn't give a sh!t about appearances. Not that he ever did.

I suspect it is not going to get less I interesting from here.


Yes, that is a key part of the difference (none / 0) (#17)
by Peter G on Wed May 17, 2017 at 10:24:18 PM EST

between the current "special counsel" statute, and the now-expired, post-Watergate "special prosecutor" statute. Special counsel is independent of the AG but not independent of the President. The prior statute's contrary provision was always of doubtful constitutionality, to be perfectly frank, under the first sentence of Article II, section 1, of the Constitution, which vests the entire "executive power" of the federal government in "a President."


Just read Peter's comment (none / 0) (#19)
by Militarytracy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 11:10:45 PM EST

I don't think he's going to be able to stop himself from firing Mueller. He'll try, but when the heat is really on he won't take expert guidance or counsel.

He's really going to put that unitary executive theory through the wringer. I suppose he already has.


I think that could be true (5.00 / 1) (#20)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 11:56:15 PM EST

When he does the country, most of it, and the congress, enough of it, will turn on him.

Then it's going to get really interesting


Or (none / 0) (#21)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 12:00:12 AM EST

He could quit

But it might be to late for that to make a difference.


I did see that psychologist who did (none / 0) (#22)
by Militarytracy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 12:19:06 AM EST

The New Yorker piece tonight. He says he is certain Trump is in agony right now, but that was before word was out that he could fire Mueller. If he feels he can't control this investigation though and he could "lose", he may leave office IF he can convince himself and spin it that it's a win. He'll have his little troop of supporters too who go to their graves repeating the win. Sadly, knowing he can fire Mueller will probably bolster him. Him needing to spin it and win by leaving depends on a severe desperation.

If he did break the law though, doesn't leaving the Presidency make him prosecutable at that point? Will that hold up being able to get rid of him?


Or, like I said yesterday, ... (none / 0) (#24)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 18, 2017 at 02:18:49 AM EST

... Air Force One could show up in Moscow one morning and he'll ask for asylum. Nothing this guy does would surprise me anymore.


Any Air Force officer who carries (none / 0) (#41)
by Chuck0 on Thu May 18, 2017 at 08:04:03 AM EST

out that mission better stay in Moscow with Donald. Otherwise he should be charged with treason upon his return.


Ain't that a b*tch? (5.00 / 1) (#45)
by Militarytracy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 08:06:59 AM EST

That's one of the things that gives my husband that headache. The President is insane, if he gives you an illegal order no matter how you slice it you are in trouble!!!


in that case (none / 0) (#46)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 08:09:26 AM EST

a real patriot would put it down in the middle of the Atlantic. nose first. IMO.


: Holy chit (none / 0) (#49)
by Militarytracy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 08:11:50 AM EST

That's screwed 3 ways :)

re: illegal orders (none / 0) (#55)
by CaptHowdy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 08:27:06 AM EST

the reason Trump surrounded himself with more Generals than any president before him might be becoming a bit more. and it makes me queasy.

and McMaster rushing out to dissemble gives me no comfort.

we might want to hope the others have brains attached to a spine.


And Kelly caught on a hot mic (5.00 / 2) (#69)
by Militarytracy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 01:38:18 PM EST

Telling Trump to use his Coast Guard ceremonial sword on the press.

Kelly and McMaster are done. Living on borrowed work time now.

Jon Cooper of the Democratic Coalition tweeted last night that Pence staffers were in a panic too. They believe Pence is going to be taken down too. What in the hell did these guys do? My Twitter follows have changed dramatically in the past 48 hrs.

The Generals though drinking the arrogance, they are finished in governance. Never again. Who would or could ever trust their judgement again?


Not just politics and governance, MT. (none / 0) (#79)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 18, 2017 at 04:24:50 PM EST

Given their respective tone-deaf displays over these past nine days, who in their right mind would ever again trust their judgment in military affairs?

Senior military brass best realize that they don't necessarily live in a protective bubble 24/7 any more. The proliferation of social media in this era of near-instantaneous communication has altered the landscape, just as it has for civilian politicians, and hot mics are fast becoming the norm rather than the exception. If they say and do something stupid, the odds are pretty good that the rest of the country will eventually hear about it.

: It's been a continuous problem (none / 0) (#91)
by Militarytracy on Thu May 18, 2017 at 06:24:28 PM EST

Still that the Generals consider themselves above the law. Some of them still aren't following the regulations on sexual assault either.

Where are the TWEETS? (5.00 / 2) (#9)
by CaptHowdy on Wed May 17, 2017 at 08:16:57 PM EST

Love to know the lengths that have been gone to restraining Preznit Tweet Machine

At the gym today (5.00 / 4) (#18)
by fishcamp on Wed May 17, 2017 at 10:31:06 PM EST

I walked up to the Trumpers and said "Hi Comrads". They actually laughed, but then kept talking about Hillary. I told them that ship has sailed and the current one is sinking. They're scared.

: Scared of what, exactly? (5.00 / 1) (#25)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 18, 2017 at 03:23:16 AM EST

Being so glaringly and humiliatingly wrong? The poor things. Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) has the perfect answer for them.

: That is the standard (5.00 / 1) (#27)
by Ga6thDem on Thu May 18, 2017 at 06:09:30 AM EST

line from conservatives these days. Talk about Hillary. Like that is really gonna work.

Reuters is reporting this morning that ... (5.00 / 1) (#29)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu May 18, 2017 at 06:22:02 AM EST

... members of the Trump campaign's inner circle had at least 18 heretofore undisclosed contacts with Russian officials during the last seven months of the 2016 race:

"Six of the previously undisclosed contacts described to Reuters were phone calls between Sergei Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the United States, and Trump advisers, including Flynn, Trump's first national security adviser, three current and former officials said. Conversations between Flynn and Kislyak accelerated after the Nov. 8 vote as the two discussed establishing a back channel for communication between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that could bypass the U.S. national security bureaucracy, which both sides considered hostile to improved relations, four current U.S. officials said." (Emphasis is mine.)

The U.S. intelligence community is whacki