https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...dictment/ar-AAuckBq?li=AA5a8k&ocid=spartandhp
The investigation is broadly focused on Russia’s attempts to interfere in and influence last year’s U.S. presidential election.
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It’s highly possible that Mueller is indicting someone in an effort to pressure them to flip against someone else, or to pressure a larger target to cooperate with the investigation.
......
CNN’s original report indicated that there was a “flurry of activity” on Friday at a DC federal courtroom where the grand jury meets to hear testimony related to the Mueller investigation. No announcements were subsequently made, but CNN, and other outlets were able to find sources who were “briefed on the matter” to comment. As Lawfare points out, the leak almost certainly did not come from Mueller’s team, and the most likely people to have been “briefed” on the charges would be people at the Justice Department, like deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein (attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation) and his staff.
......
It’s been five months since Mueller’s investigation began, and that is not a lot of time as these things go. To have charges filed at this point is not normal. Politico notes that the previous average time to a first indictment, looking back at nine independent and special counsel cases over the past few decades, was 17 months. The unprecedented speed could be for a number of reasons, but it’s important to note that Mueller wasn’t exactly starting from scratch. Manafort has been under investigation for years, and the FBI, under fired former director James Comey, began looking into Russia’s election interference while last year’s presidential campaign was still underway. The speed is also consistent with Mueller’s investigative and prosecutorial style.
The investigation is broadly focused on Russia’s attempts to interfere in and influence last year’s U.S. presidential election.
......
It’s highly possible that Mueller is indicting someone in an effort to pressure them to flip against someone else, or to pressure a larger target to cooperate with the investigation.
......
CNN’s original report indicated that there was a “flurry of activity” on Friday at a DC federal courtroom where the grand jury meets to hear testimony related to the Mueller investigation. No announcements were subsequently made, but CNN, and other outlets were able to find sources who were “briefed on the matter” to comment. As Lawfare points out, the leak almost certainly did not come from Mueller’s team, and the most likely people to have been “briefed” on the charges would be people at the Justice Department, like deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein (attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from the investigation) and his staff.
......
It’s been five months since Mueller’s investigation began, and that is not a lot of time as these things go. To have charges filed at this point is not normal. Politico notes that the previous average time to a first indictment, looking back at nine independent and special counsel cases over the past few decades, was 17 months. The unprecedented speed could be for a number of reasons, but it’s important to note that Mueller wasn’t exactly starting from scratch. Manafort has been under investigation for years, and the FBI, under fired former director James Comey, began looking into Russia’s election interference while last year’s presidential campaign was still underway. The speed is also consistent with Mueller’s investigative and prosecutorial style.
