Mueller taps more prosecutors to help grow Trump probe



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Attorney Robert Mueller seeks additional resources from the Department of Justice to get help in new legal battles while his one-year investigation into the interference of Russia in the 2016 elections continues to expand

. Career prosecutors from US prosecutors' offices and the headquarters of the Justice Department, as well as FBI agents – a sign that he could lay the groundwork for passing on part of his investigation, said several current US officials. and old

. Mr. Mueller and his team of 17 federal prosecutors face a higher volume of court challenges over the past few months, but there is no political appetite at this time to increase the size of his staff. 19659002] According to its latest statement of expenditures, more money is spent on the work done by the permanent units of the Department of Justice than on Mueller's own operations. ion. Justice Department units have spent $ 9 million since the start of the investigation in May 2017 through March this year, compared with $ 7.7 million spent by the Mueller team [19659004] The Mueller probe was attacked by President Donald Trump and his allies. long, expanding too far and too expensive. But the special advocate's charter, released by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, includes an investigation to determine whether Trump or his associates collaborated with Russia and "any issue that stems directly from the investigation" .

Investigators in New York; Alexandria, Virginia; Pittsburgh and elsewhere have been involved to supplement the work of Mueller's team, officials said. Mueller has already entrusted a major investigation – in Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen – to the Southern District of New York.

"Whatever you have, finish it hell because this country is tearing itself apart" Rep. Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina told Rosenstein during a hearing on June 28 . Rosenstein says that Mueller knows that he must act quickly.

A heavy charge of investigation for Mueller had been planned from the outset, officials said. The special advocate has already issued 20 indictments and guilty pleas from five individuals, and some of the defendants are fighting harder than expected in court.

"I do not think he's getting lost" Solomon Wisenberg, who served as a deputy independent lawyer investigating President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Yes, this is not unusual.

It is not unusual for Mueller to turn to US lawyers or to the headquarters of the Department of Justice, said Wisenberg, who is He is now a partner at the law firm Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough LLP

. Mueller is holding legal battles when he plans to assign Trump for an interview and that he speeds up his investigation of potential collusion

. – and perhaps the biggest – Mueller's lawsuit relates to his indictment of former Trump campaign president, Paul Manafort, for a series of financial crimes. Manafort is fighting the indictment in two federal courthouses, and he extended his case last week to the District Court of Columbia.

Both sides are preparing for a trial that will begin this month.

"Everyone will be on deck when they go to the Manafort trial," said Wisenberg.

of other court fights may have been a surprise.

Mueller indicted 13 Russian individuals and three entities in February on charges of violating criminal laws with the intention of interfering with US elections through the manipulation of social media.

None of the targets are in the United States, but the Internet Research Agency has forced Mueller to legal fight in federal court. Both parties have recently quarreled over how to protect sensitive investigation documents from disclosure. Mueller hired prosecutors with the US Attorney's Office in Washington to handle the case.

Another surprise came last week when Andrew Miller, a former advisor to Trump advisor Roger Stone, filed a sealed petition.

Mueller also plans to pass to the conviction of Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, who both pleaded guilty to lying to the investigators

. Jeffrey Cramer, a former federal prosecutor

"There are certainly several fronts right now," said Cramer, who is now managing director of the international Berkeley Research Group LLC. "Some of them are more active than others."

Cramer does not think Mueller is above his head, but he says that he might take into account the timing when it would act to make additional movements

resources unlimited in the sense that you have an unlimited number of prosecutors and agents, "said Mr. Cramer. "There comes a time when they can only do so much."

Mueller has already shown that in some situations he will hand over cases, as with the Cohen investigation. In addition, Mueller receives help from Rosenstein, who responds to congressional requests for documents and testimonials.

Finally, Mueller knew what he was writing for.

"Although there is a lot to do," Everything is not all at once, "said Cramer." His office does his job, he does what he is supposed to to do. "

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