Swordsmyth
04-20-2018, 01:53 PM
A federal judge raised concerns on Thursday about the scope of special counsel Robert Mueller's authority in the Russia investigation, according (https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/19/robert-mueller-appointment-authority-manafort-case-537491) to Politico.
US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson raised questions about whether Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 election gives Mueller more authority than what the Department of Justice (DOJ) typically allows. The concerns came up during a hearing in the criminal case involving President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Manafort's defense attorney, Kevin Downing, argued that Rosenstein's authorization for a special counsel to investigate collusion in the 2016 election is at odds with what the DOJ permits and that it exceeds his authority.
According to Downing, a special counsel must be told of the "specific factual matter" in his or her mandate. Manafort's legal team has also said that Mueller has exceeded the authority he has been given by Rosenstein in the investigation.
Downing said that Mueller's legal authority to file cases has been undermined because of the issues surrounding his appointment.
"I don't know how they can violate these regulations and we can still be here and it doesn't matter," Downing said at the hearing. "It doesn't make any sense."
More at: http://www.businessinsider.com/muellers-authority-in-russia-probe-federal-judge-2018-4
US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson raised questions about whether Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 election gives Mueller more authority than what the Department of Justice (DOJ) typically allows. The concerns came up during a hearing in the criminal case involving President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Manafort's defense attorney, Kevin Downing, argued that Rosenstein's authorization for a special counsel to investigate collusion in the 2016 election is at odds with what the DOJ permits and that it exceeds his authority.
According to Downing, a special counsel must be told of the "specific factual matter" in his or her mandate. Manafort's legal team has also said that Mueller has exceeded the authority he has been given by Rosenstein in the investigation.
Downing said that Mueller's legal authority to file cases has been undermined because of the issues surrounding his appointment.
"I don't know how they can violate these regulations and we can still be here and it doesn't matter," Downing said at the hearing. "It doesn't make any sense."
More at: http://www.businessinsider.com/muellers-authority-in-russia-probe-federal-judge-2018-4