Special counsel appointed in russia probe
You're referring to the appointment of a Special Counsel in the Russia investigation!
On May 17, 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller as the Special Counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign. This appointment was made after President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was leading the investigation at the time.
Mueller's investigation, also known as the Mueller investigation or the Russia investigation, was authorized to investigate the following:
- Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, including any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign.
- Any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation, including any matters related to the 2016 presidential election.
Mueller's investigation was extensive and lasted for nearly two years, during which time he issued several indictments and secured guilty pleas from several individuals, including:
- Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, who was charged with conspiracy, money laundering, and other crimes related to his work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine.
- Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials.
- Rick Gates, Manafort's business partner, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to the FBI.
- George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials.
Mueller's investigation also led to the indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers accused of hacking into the Democratic National Committee's servers and releasing stolen emails during the 2016 election.
On March 22, 2019, Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr, who summarized the report's findings in a letter to Congress. The report concluded that there was no evidence of collusion or conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but it did not exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided not to pursue charges against Trump, citing a lack of evidence.
The Mueller investigation was widely covered in the media and had significant political implications, with many Democrats calling for Trump's impeachment and removal from office.