Most Americans want a special prosecutor to investigate Trump's Russia ties. Here's how that would work.


Polls show that a solid majority of Americans and registered voters support appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russian intelligence — even many Republicans who do not think the Kremlin interfered in the U.S. election to help President Trump, as every U.S. intelligence agency has determined to be a near certainty. Now that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any investigation involving the Trump campaign and Russia, it would be up to his deputy to appoint a special prosecutor — and Trump's nominee for the position, Rod J. Rosenstein, declined to commit to naming one in his tense Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
There's some precedent for the move, should Rosenstein decide to act. In 2003, when Attorney General John Ashcroft had recused himself, his deputy named U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as a special counsel to investigate the leaking of the identity of a covert CIA agent. That deputy? James Comey, now FBI director. That was the last special prosecutor, and the last independent counsel was Kenneth Starr, who prosecuted the Clintons in the 1990s (before that, there were independent counsels appointed to investigate Attorney General Edwin Meese and President Ronald Reagan's Iran-Contra scandal). Given the interest in special prosecutors, Yahoo has put together a short, helpful primer on what they are, their history, and what they can do. Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump U-turns on weapons to Ukraine
Speed Read Unhappy with Putin, Trump decides the US will go back to arming Ukraine against Russia's attacks
-
July 8 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Tuesday's political cartoons include a Trump disappearing act, trade talk uncertainty, and Elon Musk's many injuries
-
Entente cordiale: will state visit help UK-French relations get over Brexit?
Today's Big Question The King, a keen Francophile who has a warm relationship with Emmanuel Macron, will play a key role in state visit
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage