Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein acknowledges he may need to recuse himself from Russia probe
Source: ABC News
The senior Justice Department official with ultimate authority over the special counsel's probe of Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 election has privately acknowledged to colleagues that he may have to recuse himself from the matter, which he took charge of only after Attorney General Jeff Sessions' own recusal, sources tell ABC News.
Those private remarks from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein are significant because they reflect the widening nature of the federal probe, which now includes a preliminary inquiry into whether President Donald Trump attempted to obstruct justice when he allegedly tried to curtail the probe and then fired James Comey as FBI director.
Rosenstein, who authored an extensive and publicly-released memorandum recommending Comey's firing, raised the possibility of his recusal during a recent meeting with Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, the Justice Department's new third-in-command, according to sources.
Although Rosenstein appointed a special counsel to lead the federal probe, he still makes the final decisions about resources, personnel and -- if necessary -- any prosecutions.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/deputy-attorney-general-privately-acknowledges-recuse-russia-probe/story?id=48080253
The drama of the day.
I'll expect breaking news of some sort by the afternoon.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)...and let honest justice prevail, for the sake of these United States.
jpak
(41,758 posts)underpants
(182,830 posts)bora13
(860 posts)then the upstairs girl, then the guy that delivers pizza for those DOJ pizza parties.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Are these foreign sources or American sources?
That is the question!
riversedge
(70,242 posts)titaniumsalute
(4,742 posts)Jim__
(14,077 posts)Firing Comey is one of the indications that Trump obstructed justice, and Rosenstein's memo about Comey means he will be a part of the investigation, and so, Mueller can't report to Rosenstein.
Volaris
(10,272 posts)No matter how much Trump orders him to?
Because that would be pretty damned funny.
Jim__
(14,077 posts)Former Bush official Rachel Brand takes over No. 3 position at Justice Dept. -https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/former-bush-official-rachel-brand-takes-over-no-3-position-at-justice-dept/2017/05/25/75e3aa80-40bb-11e7-8c25-44d09ff5a4a8_story.html?utm_term=.5bea6d89dbd2 - she would have the power to fire him.
Volaris
(10,272 posts)Trumps destruction and imprisonment exquisite beyond imagining.
Rachel Brand, got it. Thanks Jim_.
elleng
(130,974 posts)cilla4progress
(24,736 posts)merry-go-round music in the background!
Amaryllis
(9,524 posts)dchill
(38,505 posts)roomtomove
(217 posts)It is my understanding that the special counsel prosecutor is responsible for all of this, including empowering grand juries, who then indict or not........am I correct???????
Mr. Ected
(9,670 posts)If Rachel Brand is designated as the DAG presiding over the investigation, and Trump demands that she fire Mueller, wouldn't that also potentially amount to obstruction, meaning she would need to recuse herself, and so on, and so on?
More_Cowbell
(2,191 posts)But I can definitely see Trump asking person after person!
jimmil
(629 posts)volstork
(5,402 posts)Let justice be done though the heavens may fall.