On Fox News, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein says Mueller can investigate any Trump-related crime, with permission
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein may have had some slightly reassuring words for reporters (but not leakers) on Fox News Sunday, but he was pretty guarded when host Chris Wallace asked about reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had impaneled a grand jury in the Russian election-meddling investigation and might be looking into President Trump's finances. Generally speaking, a grand jury is "an appropriate way to gather documents, sometimes to bring witnesses in, to make sure that you get their full testimony," he said. "It's just a tool that we use like any other tool in the course of our investigations."
Wallace noted that when Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel, he authorized him to investigate not just possible coordination between Russia and Trump's campaign but also "any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation," pursuant to the law. Rosenstein said that "Bob Mueller understands and I understand the specific scope of the investigation and so, it's not a fishing expedition," but they won't discuss the scope publicly.
Wallace asked again, "If he finds evidence of a crime, can he look at that?" If Mueller "finds evidence of a crime that's within the scope of what Director Mueller and I have agreed is the appropriate scope of the investigation, then he can," Rosenstein said. "If it's something that's outside that scope, he needs to come to the acting attorney general — at this time, me — for a permission to expand his investigation."
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.
Wallace pressed on, noting that Bill Clinton's impeachment began as an investigation of a failed real estate deal.
Wallace also noted that Trump publicly urged prosecutors to look into Hillary Clinton's emails, asking Rosentstein, "do you view that as an order?" Rosenstein said no, "I view what the president says publicly as something he said publicly. If the president wants to give orders to us on the department, he does that privately. And then if we have any feedback, we provide it to him." And so far, he added, "the president has not directed us to investigate particular people, that wouldn't be right. That's not the way we operate."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
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.
-
Harris baits, debates Trump in feisty Philly face-off
Speed Read The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris quickly grew combative
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'This failure to reach out to the entire 9/11 community is unacceptable'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - September 11, 2024
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - a toast to climate change, a door unhinged, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Trump criminal trial starts with rulings, reminder
Speed Read The first day of his historic trial over hush money payments was mostly focused on jury selection
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Parents of school shooter sentenced to 10-15 years
Speed Read Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents to be convicted in a US mass shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Unlicensed dealers and black market guns
Speed Read 68,000 illegally trafficked guns were sold in a five year period, said ATF
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraud
Speed Read Former "crypto king" Sam Bankman-Fried will report to federal prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Goon Squad' cops sentenced for torturing 2 Black men
Speed Read The former Mississippi law enforcement officers pleaded guilty last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Michigan shooter's dad guilty of manslaughter
speed read James Crumbley failed to prevent his son from killing four students at Oxford High School in 2021
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Shooting at Chiefs victory rally kills 1, injures 21
Speed Read Gunfire broke out at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade in Missouri
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published