18.08.24 Special Counsel Investigation

“NO COLLUSION – RIGGED WITCH HUNT!”


President Trump via Twitter re: the special counsel investigation.

What *exactly* can the special counsel investigate?

WHAT IS A SPECIAL COUNSEL?

An independent prosecutor appointed by the Department of Justice to lead an investigation separate from the usual chain of command.

BACKSTORY:

In March 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations related to the 2016 presidential campaign.

In May 2017, the Deputy Attorney General appointed Robert Mueller, the former FBI Director (2001 – 2013), as Special Counsel to oversee the Trump-Russia investigation.

The Order Appointing Mueller As Special Counsel Allows Investigation Into Any:

• links / coordination between the Russian gov’t and 2016 Trump campaign associates;
• matters that arise directly from the investigation; &
• crimes intended to interfere with the investigation.

“I did not want Paul Manafort to be guilty, but he was …. the charges were legitimate, but the prosecution tried to make the case about the Russian collusion ….. I think that they used Manafort to try to get the dirt on Trump.”


Paula Duncan, one of 12 jurors who decided the Paul Manafort case, to ‘Fox News At Night.’ Duncan, a Trump supporter, said she (and 10 of her fellow jurors) would’ve found Manafort guilty of all 18 counts but for one holdout juror.

Since the Special Counsel’s investigation began in May 2017, 26 Russian nationals, 4 former Trump aides, 1 California man and 1 Dutch lawyer have been charged. The case against Michael Cohen reportedly arose at of a referral from the Special Counsel.