Who and how are investigating “Russian dossier” in the United States
Arrested this week by Paul Manafort, a former political strategist Donald trump, became the first victim of the investigation of the “Russian dossier” of the President of the United States. Now U.S. authorities are conducting at least five investigations of Russian interference in the political process of the United States. Each of these proceedings have their own problems, which sometimes come into conflict with each other.
The Grand jury convened by the American spectaculorum Robert Mueller, had approved the bill of indictment against the defendants in the investigation on the possible intervention of Russia in election USA. They were the former head of the electoral staff of Donald trump by Paul Manafort and his assistant Richard gates. The U.S. Department of justice accused them of “conspiracy against the United States”, money laundering and providing false information about his financial transactions abroad, as well as in lobbying and protecting the interests of foreign agents.
The case against Manafort has no direct relationship to the investigation about the alleged Russian interference in American elections, but still creates problems for the President of the United States and Russian-American relations: the former head of the election campaign trump accused of receiving a multimillion-dollar revenues of the influential citizens of Ukraine, who, according to investigators, promote the Russian agenda.
Charges against Manafort and gates are part of a large investigation on the “Russian dossier”, a request which appeared in the last year.
The request for a “Russian trace”
In December 2016, about a month after winning the election trump, ex-US President Barack Obama, under pressure from Democrats in Congress, ordered American intelligence to examine the evidence of Russian interference in the elections of the United States.
6 January of the following year, the security services have published a report, which directly blamed Russia and President Vladimir Putin that he allegedly tried to influence the outcome of the American elections through the instruments of propaganda and hacker attacks. So in America there was demand for an investigation about the Kremlin’s meddling in the elections of the United States.
At the moment is at least five investigations, in which the key role is played by the Ministry of justice and the Congress.
Lead special Prosecutor Robert Mueller at the U.S. Department of justice, two of the intelligence Committee of the Senate and house of representatives of the us Congress, the Subcommittee on crime and terrorism of the Senate judiciary Committee, and the Committee on oversight and government reform of the house of representatives.
“Now in the U.S. investigation “Russian trace” are almost all government departments, vested with such competence. Basically, it’s politically motivated — said Ivan Tsvetkov, associate Professor of American studies at St. Petersburg state University. Want to earn points on the fashionable topic and at the same time to avoid accusations of indifference to the problem that caused such a public outcry”.
Attorney vs Prosecutor
The Ministry of justice plays a leading role in the investigation of the “Russian case”, can conduct searches, interrogations, to request the secret documents and to initiate criminal proceedings.
Meanwhile, in the competency of Congress to request documents and call for witnesses or suspects, conduct hearings on Russia’s intervention to initiate impeachment and vote for the resignation of the President.
It is important to understand that special Prosecutor Robert Mueller conducts an independent investigation under the Ministry of justice. However, formally oversees this process, Deputy attorney General Rod Rosenstein (Minister of justice Jeff sessions recused himself from participation in the investigation in March of this year) and may dismiss spectacular by order of the trump. However, Mueller manages the process and is not required to report to the General Prosecutor’s office. The fact that in the summer he initiated the interview with his “boss” Rozensteina, who has advised Trump to fire the former head of the FBI James Comey speaks about the independence of the special Prosecutor and its impact.
But müller has its limitations: it can not initiate impeachment of the President.
Muller can only send the results of its investigation and the conclusion of the Grand jury, based on what members of the congressional committees on legal Affairs voted to send the President to resign or not.
According to the us Constitution, the house of representatives can initiate and approve the impeachment. If this occurs, the right of resignation goes to the Senate, with two-thirds of the senators must vote Yes to remove the President.
Committees and subcommittees of the U.S. Congress also conduct its own investigation with its limitations. If the Mueller investigation, largely in secret, the Congress some sessions are often discovered in the form of discussion.
The lack of investigation of the Congress in his political engagement, and justice — in excessive secrecy.
The participation of Congress in the investigation allows you to maintain control and to guide in the right direction. However, in order to depoliticize the investigation of “Russian dossier”, the Ministry of justice appointed a special Prosecutor.