Reuters: White House looking at ethics rule to weaken special investigation: sources

[babylonsister]

Politics | Fri May 19, 2017 | 6:01pm EDT
White House looking at ethics rule to weaken special investigation: sources
By Julia Edwards Ainsley | WASHINGTON


The Trump administration is exploring whether it can use an obscure ethics rule to undermine the special counsel investigation into ties between President Donald Trump's campaign team and Russia, two people familiar with White House thinking said on Friday.

Trump has said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's hiring of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to lead the investigation "hurts our country terribly."

Within hours of Mueller's appointment on Wednesday, the White House began reviewing the Code of Federal Regulations, which restricts newly hired government lawyers from investigating their prior law firm’s clients for one year after their hiring, the sources said.

An executive order signed by Trump in January extended that period to two years.

Mueller's former law firm, WilmerHale, represents Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who met with a Russian bank executive in December, and the president's former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who is a subject of a federal investigation.

Legal experts said the ethics rule can be waived by the Justice Department, which appointed Mueller. He did not represent Kushner or Manafort directly at his former law firm.

If the department did not grant a waiver, Mueller would be barred from investigating Kushner or Manafort, and this could greatly diminish the scope of the probe, experts said.

The Justice Department is already reviewing Mueller's background as well as any potential conflicts of interest, said department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores.

more...

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mueller-idUSKCN18F2KK?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=591f731604d3011bf3a777fa&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

[elleng]

1. OH! represents Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner,

DAMN!

[emulatorloo]

11. Mueller didn't represent Kushner.

Don't get too excited.

This actually proves how scared Trump is of what Mueller will find.

[elleng]

14. I'm not 'excited,'

I'm noting possible issues/conflicts.

'Within hours of Mueller's appointment on Wednesday, the White House began reviewing the Code of Federal Regulations, which restricts newly hired government lawyers from investigating their prior law firm’s clients for one year after their hiring, the sources said.

An executive order signed by Trump in January extended that period to two years.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mueller-idUSKCN18F2KK

[emulatorloo]

15. No offense, your quote seems like yr apparently buying White House spin.

that Mueller is 'corrupt'.

Mueller has a stellar reputation. The White House doesn't. This is a dishonest effort on their part to smear Mueller.

If I'm mistaken I apologize.

[elleng]

18. I'm a lawyer, I 'tow the line' of the law,

I recognize it's often confusing and conflicted, and takes TIME to sort out.

[emulatorloo]

19. As a lawyer, I'm sure you have seen guilty parties desperately smearing law enforcement

Which is what Trump Co is doing.

[elleng]

20. Yes, of course guilty parties smear law enforcement.

[emulatorloo]

22. I find the White House claims of 'conflict of interest' disingenuous

and self-serving. I suspect Rosenstein may consider that as he moves forward.

YMMV

Have a great night!

[luvMIdog]

2. This makes me insane

[NightWatcher]

3. Try and they'll drag the entire family out by their hair to a waiting prison van.

I dare ya.

[nocalflea]

26. You go ! I double that dare !

[Thrill]

4. LOL now why would folks not guilty be doing this?

[babylonsister]

6. That is an astute observation. Why indeed?! nt

[emulatorloo]

12. More proof Trump is scared about Mueller uncovering the truth n/t

[greymattermom]

5. Can't Mueller just hire someone

from a different firm to handle the Kushner part?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Rosenstein can just give him a waiver if he wants to.

Trump can fire Rosenstein for giving the waiver. This would just invite more problems for him.

[emulatorloo]

10. As article points out Mueller didn't represent Manafort or Kushner

And as DSB points out, DOJ's Rosenstein can give him a waiver.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. The optics would be awful and just invite more scrutiny.

You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. Mueller gets to investigate who he wants. If Chump tries to circumscribe who he investigates he further seals his fate.

[emulatorloo]

25. Agreed. There's something so dishonest and disingenuous about this move too.

I can't quite articulate it but I'll give it a go:

They are claiming he is unethical because his firm represents Kushner and Manafort.

Most people would assume that means Mueller's gonna go easy on Trump.

This move is as dishonest/phony as when they claimed Trump fired Comey because he was mean to Hillary.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

28. Precisely. The law exists because of the fear the independent counsel will show favoritism....

Precisely. The laws exists because of the fear the independent counsel will show favoritism, not that he will be too harsh.

[Docreed2003]

7. "We're totally innocent...no collision....

But we're gonna try to submarine the investigation"

[Doodley]

9. Maybe Trump should have read the executive order

[Laffy Kat]

13. But the DoJ can waive that rule.

And it would be crazy not to.

[malaise]

17. Well if they're going to such lengths to mess up the investigations

they must be really guilty of collusion - LOCK THEM UP!

[MedusaX]

21. The EO was likely written with the New FBI director in mind... a 2 year No investigation window for

Any one hired who was formerly associated with a law firm which represented any Trumpster...

Of course no one at WH has looked into any similar ethics issues regarding their pal Lieberman's possible FBI gig....

Even though technically FBI director is not being hired as "counsel / attny" you can bet your skivvies that 45 would use the EO to squash any unfriendly investigations by FBI........

[maxrandb]

23. Couldn't they just hire someone else to look into

Brooks Brothers Spice?

I think Hillary has a law degree and is not too busy right now

[Ilsa]

24. Oh yeah, this investigation really hurts.

I can't sleep at night knowing Congress hasn't been able to transfer hundreds of billions in wealth to the 0.1%.

[Duppers]

27. A 2nd Special Prosecutor would be appointed just for Jared.

And that would mean double jeopardy for Trump.