Special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, which ended in the conviction of several associates and advisers of President Donald Trump, is winding down, according to multiple media outlets, and its report is expected next week.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, which ended in the conviction of several associates and advisers of President Donald Trump, is winding down, according to multiple media outlets, and its report is expected next week.
Trump, who has slammed the probe as a witch-hunt, said attorney general will decide if Muller’s findings should be made public.
“That’ll be totally up to the new Attorney General,” President Trump told reporters when asked if Mueller’s report should be made public. “He’s a tremendous man, a tremendous person, who really respects this country and respects the Justice Department.”
Under the rules, Mueller will give a confidential report to Willam Barr, the new attorney general, specifying those who should be prosecuted and those who shouldn’t, and why. The attorney general is then required to send a summary of the report to Congress, which should, according to rules, be “brief notifications, with an outline of the actions and the reasons for them”.
During his confirmation hearing Barr had said he favours releasing as much information — from the report — as he can consistent with the regulations. Experts have taken that as a a significant caveat as justice department guidelines prohibit releasing information not leading to prosecution. And, under justice department guidelines, a sitting president cannot be prosecuted.
Mueller was handed FBI’s Russia meddling probe in May 2017 with the brief to investigate “any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump”, and other matters.
Over the next nearly two years, the special counsel’s team has pressed criminal charges against 34 people. And six associates and advisers of President Trump, from his campaign and the administration have pleaded guilty since, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
President Trump has obsessed about the probe from the day it was launched and he has attacked the team and Mueller repeatedly and called the investigation a witch-hunt. There were indications from his aides it could be shut down, forcing lawmakers, from both parties, to consider a legislation protecting the investigation.
There was no official confirmation of the probe winding down, which was first reported by CNN. But signs of Mueller wrapping up have been around. Matt Whitaker, the acting attorney general before Barr took over, once said it would be over soon. And in recent weeks new cases, such as the one Roger Stone a long-time Trump associate, was led by regular officials and prosecutors. Mueller’s team has has also shrunk in size, it has been noted, from 17 lawyers to 12.
Trump, who has slammed the probe as a witch-hunt, said attorney general will decide if Muller’s findings should be made public.
“That’ll be totally up to the new Attorney General,” President Trump told reporters when asked if Mueller’s report should be made public. “He’s a tremendous man, a tremendous person, who really respects this country and respects the Justice Department.”
Under the rules, Mueller will give a confidential report to Willam Barr, the new attorney general, specifying those who should be prosecuted and those who shouldn’t, and why. The attorney general is then required to send a summary of the report to Congress, which should, according to rules, be “brief notifications, with an outline of the actions and the reasons for them”.
During his confirmation hearing Barr had said he favours releasing as much information — from the report — as he can consistent with the regulations. Experts have taken that as a a significant caveat as justice department guidelines prohibit releasing information not leading to prosecution. And, under justice department guidelines, a sitting president cannot be prosecuted.
Mueller was handed FBI’s Russia meddling probe in May 2017 with the brief to investigate “any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump”, and other matters.
Over the next nearly two years, the special counsel’s team has pressed criminal charges against 34 people. And six associates and advisers of President Trump, from his campaign and the administration have pleaded guilty since, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
President Trump has obsessed about the probe from the day it was launched and he has attacked the team and Mueller repeatedly and called the investigation a witch-hunt. There were indications from his aides it could be shut down, forcing lawmakers, from both parties, to consider a legislation protecting the investigation.
There was no official confirmation of the probe winding down, which was first reported by CNN. But signs of Mueller wrapping up have been around. Matt Whitaker, the acting attorney general before Barr took over, once said it would be over soon. And in recent weeks new cases, such as the one Roger Stone a long-time Trump associate, was led by regular officials and prosecutors. Mueller’s team has has also shrunk in size, it has been noted, from 17 lawyers to 12.