Yesterday, The Gateway Pundit reported Special Counsel Robert Mueller enlisted a Washington grand jury in the investigation of ‘Russian interference’ in the 2016 president election. USA Today now reports Mueller is enlisting multiple grand juries in the probe.
USA Today reports:
Russia special counsel Robert Mueller is using at least two grand juries — in Virginia and Washington, D.C. — to advance a wide-ranging federal inquiry into possible coordination between President Trump’s campaign and Moscow, a lawyer involved in the case said Friday.
As he investigates Russia’s interference in the presidential election, Mueller may continue to use multiple panels or eventually consolidate those efforts in Washington, where the special counsel’s team has only begun to use a grand jury in recent weeks.
But the lawyer, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter, said both venues continued to be active in recent days.
The use of the grand jury located in Washington is potentially significant, analysts said, as it likely means investigators are probing activities that happened within that jurisdiction.
Mueller’s team is investigating possible obstruction of justice related to the president’s abrupt May 9 dismissal of FBI Director James Comey, and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s contacts with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak — all of which occurred in the District of Columbia.
Special Counsel Robert Muller’s team of investigators are deeply concerned they are going to get sued for their work probing ‘Russian interference’ during the 2016 presidential election.
They are so worried that they bought insurance!
Daily Caller reports:
Department of Justice investigators purchased liability insurance to guard themselves against potential retaliatory lawsuits brought by the subjects they’re investigating as part of the Russia probe.
The Department would cover any legal fees incurred in the course of duty. However, a number of investigators opted to purchase extra protection as the probe moves further into examining President Donald Trump’s finances and those of his associates, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
The investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election led by special counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly expanded into examining possible financial crimes unrelated to Russian election interference.
Trump, who has repeatedly slammed the investigation as a “witch hunt,” argued in a July interview with The New York Times that his financial transactions represented a red line that Mueller should not cross in his investigation.
Mueller does, however, have the authority to investigate Trump’s finances as part of the broad investigative mandate bestowed upon him by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Mueller has the authority to investigate any matters that “arose or may arise directly from the investigation,” according to Rosenstein’s order appointing Mueller as special counsel.
The Wall Street Journal reports Mueller will impanel a Washington Grand Jury to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 president election.
Wall Street Journal reports:
The grand jury, which began its work in recent weeks, is a sign that Mr. Mueller’s inquiry is ramping up and that it will likely continue for months. Mr. Mueller is investigating Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether President Donald Trump’s campaign or associates colluded with the Kremlin as part of that effort.
A spokesman for Mr. Mueller, Joshua Stueve, declined to comment. Moscow has denied seeking to influence the election, and Mr. Trump has vigorously disputed allegations of collusion. The president has called Mr. Mueller’s inquiry a “witch hunt.”
Ty Cobb, special counsel to the president, said he wasn’t aware that Mr. Mueller had started using a new grand jury. “Grand jury matters are typically secret,” Mr. Cobb said. “The White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly.…The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr. Mueller.”
Before Mr. Mueller was tapped in May to be special counsel, federal prosecutors had been using at least one other grand jury, located in Alexandria, Va., to assist in their criminal investigation of Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser. That probe, which has been taken over by Mr. Mueller’s team, focuses on Mr. Flynn’s work in the private sector on behalf of foreign interests.
Grand juries are powerful investigative tools that allow prosecutors to subpoena documents, put witnesses under oath and seek indictments, if there is evidence of a crime. Legal experts said that the decision by Mr. Mueller to impanel a grand jury suggests he believes he will need to subpoena records and take testimony from witnesses.
