The special counsel was put in place to oversee the investigation looking into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election, and if Trump campaign figures were complicit. Robert Mueller, who headed the FBI for more than a decade, was appointed in May 2017. He concluded his inquiry nearly two years later.
These 18 attorneys are confirmed members of Mueller’s team: Zainab Ahmad is an attorney on loan from the Eastern District of New York, where she served as a deputy chief of the National Security and Cybercrime section before being loaned to Mueller’s team.
Rosenstein's letter announcing the appointment of Mueller says, "If the Special Counsel believes it is necessary and appropriate, the special counsel is authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters." CBS News' Paula Reid reports that the FBI investigators who are currently on this case may stay on the case.
A special counsel is in place to oversee the investigation looking into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election, and if Trump campaign figures were complicit. Robert Mueller, who headed the FBI for more than a decade, was appointed in May 2017.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in his role as Acting Attorney General for matters related to the campaign due to the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, appointed Mueller, a former Director of the FBI, to serve as Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) with authority to ...
In local state governments, special prosecutors are appointed by a judge, government official, organization, company or group of citizens to prosecute violations of law committed by one or more governmental agents and procure indictments for actions taken under color of state law.
The Office of Special Counsel is an investigative and prosecutorial office that works to end government and political corruption, and to protect government employees and whistleblowers.
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation2001–2013Acting United States Deputy Attorney General2001–2001United States Attorney for the Northern District of California1998–2001United States Assistant Attorney General1990–1993Robert Mueller/Previous offices
Senior counsel are barristers of seniority and eminence. The designation of senior counsel provides a public identification of barristers whose standing and achievements justify an expectation that they can provide outstanding services as advocates and advisers, to the good of the administration of justice.
Some concern has been expressed by members of the profession that use of the term “Special Counsel” to describe a legal practitioner conveys the notion that the person concerned possesses a high degree of experience and expertise as counsel or in one or more particular areas of legal practice.
​Susan K. Ullman is the General Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel and serves as OSC's Designated Agency Ethics Official. Ms. Ullman joined OSC in 2017 following 16 years at the U.S. Department of Justice, most recently as Senior Trial Counsel in the Federal Programs Branch.
After the expiration of the Ethics in Government Act in 1999, the Office of Independent Counsel was replaced with the office of Special Counsel, defined by regulation 28 CFR 600, which in turn is based on Congressional statute 28 USC 510.
Lawrence WalshDan K. WebbAppointed byLawrence WalshUnited States Attorney for the Northern District of IllinoisIn office 1981–1985PresidentRonald Reagan15 more rows
President Donald Trump nominated Rosenstein to serve as deputy attorney general for the United States Department of Justice on February 1, 2017. Rosenstein was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 25, 2017.
6′ 8″James B. Comey / Height
They do a spelling pronunciation. It's spelled M-U-E. How does English typically pronounce M-U-E? We'll we're going to say [MEW-ler]."
Robert Mueller doesn't say much, but the former FBI director did offer insight into why he accepted the role as special counsel to investigate Russian election interference in the 2016 election.
When prompted, Mueller offered praise to agents, analysts, and prosecutors who served on his team. "I had an exceptional team of men and women who worked with me to conduct the investigation and write the report," Mueller said.
The FBI's counterintelligence investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Russia was wrapped into Mueller's special counsel effort, which culminated in the release of a 448-page report with redactions in April 2019. Some of those redactions have since been lifted.
In September, Mueller defended the Russia investigation against criticism from former special counsel prosecutor Andrew Weissmann and others, arguing that he ran the effort “without any interest in currying favor or fear of the consequences.".
Mueller's team was unable to find a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but the report described 10 instances of possible obstruction of justice that Democrats seized on as a road map to impeachment.
Mr Mueller had reportedly hired at least 17 federal prosecutors, including experts in money laundering, fraud, foreign bribery and organised crime. Who can get rid of a special counsel? The attorney general.
image caption. Robert Mueller is a former prosecutor who served as FBI chief from 2001 to 2013. The special counsel was put in place to oversee the investigation looking into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election, and if Trump campaign figures were complicit. Robert Mueller, who headed the FBI for more than a decade, ...
The special counsel has the powers of a US attorney - meaning he can subpoena records and bring criminal charges. And Mr Mueller did so. He can also prosecute anyone who interferes in his investigation through crimes including perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses.
Mr Barr can fire a special counsel for the following reasons: misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest or for other "good cause", including violation of department policies.
Mr Rosenstein said that given the "unique circumstances", it was in the public interest for a special counsel independent "from the normal chain of command ", to lead the investigation. By placing authority for the probe into the hands of Mr Mueller, the idea was that it would be able to proceed without any interference, ...
The Russian government's efforts to interfere in the election. Any links or co-ordination between Russia and Trump campaign-linked individuals. Any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation. His investigation ventured into work done by former Trump advisers and Russian nationals.
Mr Mueller's 448-page report said it had not established that the Trump campaign criminal ly conspired with Russia to influence the election . However, it did detail 10 instances where Mr Trump had possibly attempted to impede the investigation and stated the report did not exonerate Mr Trump. Mr Mueller reiterated that in a rare statement ...
Since 1999, when the independent counsel provisions of the Ethics in Government Act expired, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has had in place regulations providing for the appointment of "special counsels"who possess "the full power and independent authority to exercise all investigative and prosecutorial functions of any United States Attorney."Appointments under these regulations, such as the May 17, 2017 appointment of Robert S.
Dive into the research topics of 'Why Robert Mueller's appointment as special counsel was unlawful'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Second, even if one chooses to overlook the absence of statutory authority for the position, there is no statute specifically authorizing the Attorney General, rather than the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint such a Special Counsel.
No such statute exists for the Special Counsel. Third, the Special Counsel is, in all events, a superior rather than inferior officer and thus cannot be appointed by any means other than presidential appointment and senatorial confirmation regardless of what any statutes purport to say.
James Quarles. Quarles served as an assistant special prosecutor as part of the Watergate Special Prosecution from 1973 until 1975. More recently, he also was a partner at WilmerHale. He also served as a law clerk in a U.S. District Court of Maryland in the early 1970s, according to Bloomberg.
Some the cases Andres oversaw include the prosecution of Robert Allen Stanford, who was convicted of operated an $8 billion Ponzi scheme, and the prosecution of several members of the Bonanno crime family, one of whom plotted to have him killed.
The scope of the investigation, individuals familiar with the matter have told CBS News, includes Russian interference in the election, Russian hacking, any other Russian influence, and possible financial wrongdoing.
He has spent most of his career at the Department of Justice. During the 1990s, Weissmann worked on a case related to the mafia and Russian organized crime that involved Felix Sater, a Trump business partner who is now a focus of Mueller's probe.
The team has expanded since Mueller took over the investigation in May. Last month, CBS reported Mueller is using a grand jury in the probe, which is an indication the probe is intensifying.
Aaron Zebley. Joining the prosecution team in June, Zebley had served as Mueller's chief of staff while he was FBI director. Before joining the special counsel's office, he was a partner at law firm WilmerHale, where he focused on cybersecurity issues. He also been senior counselor in the Justice Department's national security division, ...
Last month, CBS reported Mueller is using a grand jury in the probe, which is an indication the probe is intensifying. The impaneling of a grand jury means Mueller's team has the ability to seek indictments and subpoena records, although the special counsel already had broad investigative authority when Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein ...
In addition to a squad of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Mueller now has 18 attorneys on staff, a spokesperson for Special Counsel Robert Mueller confirmed to ABC News. Mueller’s team has come under fire in the past year for perceived biases against the President.
Scott Meisler joined the special counsel in June 2017, according to Mueller spokesman Peter Carr. Meisler joined the special counsel in June 2017. Prior to that, he had worked as an appellate attorney for the Department of Justice’s criminal division since 2009.
Harold Koh, formerly of the State Department, has said he brought Zelinsky in as a special assistant at the State Department, where he worked the cases of Americans held hostage abroad. Koh calls Zelinsky “an incredible team leader.”. Two FBI veterans have left the team since its inception. Peter Strzok, who had been tapped by Mueller ...
According to his LinkedIn page, Asonye also worked in the White Collar Defense and Corporate Investigations Group of the law firm O’Melveny and Myers. Federal Elections Commission (FEC) records show that Asonye donated $800 to the Clinton campaign in 2008.
Aaron Zebley is a former partner at the law firm WilmerHale, who previously served with Mueller at the FBI and has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. Zebley served as chief of staff to both Mueller and his successor as FBI Director, James Comey.
Peter Strzok, who had been tapped by Mueller to help lead the probe, left the team last summer, sources told ABC News in August. As chief of the FBI's counterespionage section, he helped oversee the FBI's investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server when she was the U.S. secretary of state.
On May 4, Dreeben sparred in court with federal Judge T.S. Ellis during a hearing over dismissal of the 32-count indictment against Manafort. Nathan Layne/Reuters, FILE. Kyle Freeny, center, walks with Andrew Weissman, right, as they leave court in Washington, Sept. 29, 2017.