Merrick Garland to appoint 'special counsel' to investigate Trump
Donald Trump has the distinction of being the only former president in United States history who announced another presidential run at a time when he is facing multiple investigations — some criminal and some civil, some federal and some in individual states. The federal investigations being conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) include the January 6, 2021-related investigation and the investigation of government documents that were being kept at Mar-a-Lago.
Now, according to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has decided to appoint a special counsel to investigate the former president.
In an article published on Friday afternoon, November 18, WSJ journalists Aruna Viswanatha and Sadie Gurman report, “A formal announcement, which is expected by Friday afternoon, would come three days after Mr. Trump announced another bid for the presidency and would mark the naming of the third independent prosecutor in five years to examine issues involving Mr. Trump. The exact scope of the special counsel’s remit and who it would be couldn’t be determined.”
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Garland’s decision, according to the reporters, “reflects the sensitivity of Mr. Garland overseeing any investigation into Mr. Trump now that he is a declared presidential candidate.”
“President Biden, who has said he intends to run for reelection in 2024, nominated Mr. Garland to head the Justice Department in part for the former judge’s promise to insulate the agency from political influence,” Viswanatha and Gurman explain. “Some legal experts have anticipated such an appointment. Regulations governing special counsels provide for the attorney general to name an outsider if he determines that the investigation or prosecution presents a conflict of interest for the department and recusals of certain officials wouldn’t be enough to overcome the concerns.”
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