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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAP Source: Justice Department has opened criminal investigation into Russia probe
WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department has shifted its review of the Russia probe to a criminal investigation, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday, a move that is likely to raise concerns that President Donald Trump and his allies may be using the powers of the government to go after their opponents.
The revelation comes as Trump is already facing scrutiny about a potential abuse of power, including a House impeachment inquiry examining whether he withheld military aid in order to pressure the president of Ukraine to launch an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
The person who confirmed the criminal investigation was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
It is not clear what potential crimes are being investigated, but the designation as a formal criminal investigation gives prosecutors the ability to issue subpoenas, potentially empanel a grand jury and compel witnesses to give testimony and bring federal criminal charges.
The Justice Department had previously considered it to be an administrative review, and Attorney General William Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to lead the inquiry into the origins of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election. It's not clear when Durham's inquiry shifted to a criminal investigation.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/ap-source-justice-department-has-opened-criminal-investigation-into-russia-probe
sakabatou
(42,157 posts)Brilliant!
orangecrush
(19,572 posts)TEB
(12,860 posts)orangecrush
(19,572 posts)TEB
(12,860 posts)For two years the repugs did not stand up to trump. In their dereliction of duty we have now arrived on the edge of a dictatorship.
Claritie Pixie
(2,199 posts)This is going to get very very strange, soon.
Desperate men do desperate and horrible things.
RDANGELO
(3,433 posts)is to press the meme that even if it is found that people connected to investigation are found to have done things that are wrong, the President is still responsible for his conduct.
The deep state didn't make him separate children at the border. The deep state didn't make him obstruct the investigation. The deep state didn't make him try to kill the ACA with nothing to replace it. The list goes on and on.
orangecrush
(19,572 posts)That is a conspiracy theory hatched by the likes of Alex Jones and other whackjobs.
Deep State in reality refers to government employees who were good enough at what they did to be kept on their jobs by Presidents of both parties because of their excellent performance.
Such people tend to have integrity as well, which makes it important for someone like Trump to get rid of them.