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SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT Mueller has impanelled a grand jury to investigate Russia’s interference with the 2016 presidential election – a step toward possible criminal indictments.
The Wall Street Journal, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reported that the grand jury had begun its work in the US capital “in recent weeks”.
The move is a sign that the federal investigation, which includes allegations that Trump campaign officials coordinated with Russia to tilt the election in the Republican’s favour, is gathering pace.
The establishment of a grand jury will allow Mueller, a former FBI director, to subpoena documents and get sworn testimony. It could lead to criminal indictments.
“It’s a significant escalation of the process,” national security attorney Bradley Moss told AFP.
“You don’t impanel a grand jury unless your investigation has discovered enough evidence that you feel reflects a violation of at least one, if not more, criminal provisions,” he said.
“If you secure an indictment, your next step is to arrest the defendant.”
Presidential lawyer Ty Cobb said he was not aware that a grand jury had been convened.
“Grand jury matters are typically secret,” Cobb said, adding that ”the White House favours anything that accelerates the conclusion of work fairly.”
“The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr Mueller.”
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president was not likely the subject of an investigation.
“Former FBI director Jim Comey said three times the president is not under investigation and we have no reason to believe that has changed,” she said.
Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores declined to comment on the report.
‘Fake news’
Trump has repeatedly denied allegations of collusion, saying he is the victim of a political “witch hunt” and “fake news”.
But the White House has been forced to acknowledge that Trump’s eldest son, Donald Jr, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his then campaign adviser Paul Manafort did meet a Kremlin-connected lawyer to get dirt on Hillary Clinton.
Mueller is also said to be investigating financial records of Trump associates unrelated to Russia or the election, CNN reported.
Trump has publicly warned Mueller that his financial dealings should be out-of-bounds and investigating them would cross a red line.
The revelation will only fuel speculation that Trump may try to curb the investigation by firing Mueller.
Two US senators introduced a bipartisan bill to halt that move by insulating Mueller.
The legislation, sponsored by Democrat Chris Coons and Republican Thom Tillis, would bar a president from directly firing the special counsel without a judicial review.
Under the bill, Mueller would be allowed to challenge his removal in court in the event he is fired without good cause.
“A back-end judicial review process to prevent unmerited removals of special counsels not only helps to ensure their investigatory independence, but also reaffirms our nation’s system of checks and balances,” Tillis said in a statement.
Coons added: “Ensuring that the special counsel cannot be removed improperly is critical to the integrity of this investigation.”
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Bejaysus, tis a grand jury hah?
Wow we are watching the slow motion lynching of a democratically elected President, democracy itself is in a dark place.
@Brian Morris: Nope. Actual democracy would require that the person who the most people cast their vote for won.
@Brian Morris: Unreal…
You do know that being democratically elected doesn’t entitle you to break federal law, right?
How could anybody be against an investigation to determine the facts of what happened leading up to the election? Especially after the Don Jr./Manafort/Kushner revelations.
@Brian Morris: You seriously believe that??
@The Risen: Trump was democratically elected, however much you might not like that
@Brian Morris: either way I / we need a strong dollar. Either trump comes good and delivers or he gets impeached.
@stephen kavanagh: He was elected according to the electoral college rules, I was referring to being truly democratically elected, as befitting a country that claims to the ‘The worlds greatest democracy(tm)’
@The Risen: You’re probably right, I’m just so sick of that argument!
@The Risen: That is the first past the post system….Person with most votes wins…Don’t think Sinn Fein would get many seats if we used that system…..
@stephen kavanagh: If you haven’t already done so, It’s well worth reading up about the origins and history of the electoral college, as well as why it hasn’t already been consigned to the scrap heap.
@The Risen: Yeah no I agree with you, I just sometimes think there’s no point crying over spilt milk! For better or worse, Trump is here to stay
@The Risen:
Like Al Gore that time…..
@Brian Morris: Colluding with a foreign enemy is treasonous and a threat to US democracy.
Trump is a true patriot, a Russian patriot.
@The Risen: He brought it on himself so on the contrary this an example of democracy at its best with the checks and balances working as they should
@Boganity: exactly..he had to sign the bill on Russian Sanctions because it was bipartisan and therefore veto proof..it’s a good system the executive, judicial and congress with ‘checks and balances’. The term limit for the President is also a good thing For all it’s faults, the US system is without doubt fairer than its rivals in China and Russia.
@Brian Morris: Aren’t there some gay frogs you should be saving ?
Are we genuinely advocating that Hillary, with all her crimes, would have been a better choice, if the ‘Russian’ dirt on her hadn’t been exposed?
@Paul Culligan: Must have missed the impanelling of a grand jury in the investigation against her… oh that’s right…
@Paul Culligan: Yes, that is the general consensus among most people on the planet. It seems the “crimes”, none of which she has been charged with, are not putting people off. She did, after all, get more votes than the winner.
@Paul Culligan: She was investigated by the FBI and Republican led panels over many years. No crimes were found to have been committed. Just because you and Trump and his supporters claim she broke laws doesn’t mean that she did.
@Paul Culligan: What crimes/laws did she commit/break?
@Paul Culligan: the grand jury has nothing to do with Hillary, or whether people would prefer her.
This is about Trump and what he has done
It is such a pity that Hilary Clinton is President of the US. Trump should have won.
@Paul Culligan: Do you reckon people like you will ever stop nattering on about Hillary?
It’s like ye are sad to see her go or something, it’s a creepy obsession. This is an investigation of the Trump administration.
@Paul Culligan: Who’s we?Nobody mentioned Hillary,she’s already been investigatef.
Will they investigate US interference in world politics in general……..
………No.
thought so
@Shane Molloy: that would hardly be impartial now would it?
Here comes Pence .. you ain’t seen nothing yet
@Paul Ryan: There’s more than Trump involved in this, it’s going to be going a few links down the chain of command.
‘Tis grandy alright
September 15, 1972: Hunt, Liddy, and the Watergate burglars are indicted by a federal grand jury.
August 8, 1974: Nixon delivers his resignation speech
Its now August 2017 ..
So we are looking at July 2019 before he toddles off?
We are going to get so bored of this
Kinda spoils his big surprise at this evenings rally… The surprise by the way is that Governor Jim Justice is leaving the Democrats and becoming a Republican… only problem… this isn’t the first time Justice has jumped parties – he was a Republican until just before launching his run for governor in 2015…. Hardly the major victory Trump needs and definitely nothing near enough to distract from the impanelling of a Grand Jury…
Full marks to the democrats getting revenge for what happened to President Clinton…Special counsel Kenneth Starr investigated him for 8 years…First create hysteria with all the Russian stories then they get Mullier appointed special counsel….He will spend years looking into every Russian Trump has met for last 40 years….Republicans like John McCain and others want proxy war with Russia to go on….They will support this….
@neilo: John003 and a few others are the resident spokesmen for the Kremlin on the Journal.
@John003: so you’re totally against clearing his name then?
@Dave O Keeffe: he should fire the special counsel, the whole thing is a farce and a total witch hunt.
@Brian Morris: because he doesn’t want to help secure the democratic process?
@Brian Morris: Part of a healthy democracy is holding elected politicians accountable for their actions. If they break the law, the public should know.
The fact that you think Trump being elected should grant him immunity from *investigation* (never mind prosecution) over alleged subversion of the democratic process is absolutely wild and shows you don’t really care about democracy.
Love the big glaring typo in the headline which the Journal can’t be bothered to correct!
@stephen kavanagh: sure it’s grandy don’t worry about it.
@stephen kavanagh: never forget, they can edit the headline, you can’t edit a comment
Are we getting close to impeachment
If ye think Trump is bad wait till Pence takes over.
@Gerry Sweeney: what exactly will he do worse than Trump? As far as I can see Trump’s policies have been in line with Pence’s
@Dave O Keeffe: In fairness to Trump, despite him being an utter fool on almost every issue, he doesn’t really have a religious fundamentalist vibe to him.
With Pence, you get all the Trump stuff with the added bonus of a bible basher in the white house.
@Malachi: I agree. He may not be doing them for religious reasons but he is still doing what the religious fundamentalists want done.
@Dave O Keeffe: Fair point, in reality there may be little distinction between the end results, but I feel slightly (very slightly) less uncomfortable that the leader of the free world isn’t absolutely convinced he knows God’s will and is willing to implement it through the state.
Trump, I think, simply prioritises his own interests over anything else when he makes policy decisions. If siding with religious crazies helps him, he’ll do it. This isn’t good for the US – but someone governing based on the literal interpretation of the bible could well cause more damage.
@Malachi: it would help get him back on track with the base, therefore that’s the way he’ll go. Trump isn’t just convinced he knows God’s will, he’s also convinced he sees God in the mirror.
This is all bull. Chances are Russia didn’t interfere with the actual election itself. The real story is in how much and who in Russia trump owes money too. They will find there has been no tampering with votes. Trump will use that quote forever and a day. Some will find him a victim (he defiantly won’t stop referring to himself as one) and no one will follow the money.
@Carlin Ite: why are all of the intelligence community and any Senator that has seen the information, Republican or Democrat, lying to us about interference then? We all saw the made up stories on Russian state news organisations. Trump even read one out at a rally.
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