Sessions Stops Short of Second Special Counsel, Appoints Prosecutor to Investigate FBI
Attorney General Jeff Sessions stopped short of appointing a second special counsel to probe the Department of Justice on Thursday, announcing that in November he tapped Utah’s top federal prosecutor, John Huber, to investigate GOP concerns of corruption.
The attorney general’s decision rejects the requests of both House and Senate Republicans, who have written letters to Sessions asking him to appoint a special counsel to counter Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
“We understand that the Department is not above criticism and it can never be that the Department conceals errors when they occur,” the attorney general said in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley and Representatives Bob Goodlatte and Trey Gowdy, who all requested a second special counsel.
“I am confident that Mr. Huber’s review will include a full, complete and objective evaluation of these matters in a manner that is consistent with the law and facts,” Sessions said.
He left the door cracked slightly for a possible special counsel later if the prosecutor recommends it.
“I receive regular updates from Mr. Huber and upon the conclusion of his review, will receive his recommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened, whether any matters currently under investigation require further resources, or whether any matters merit the appointment of a special counsel,” Sessions stated.
Huber has already started working outside of Washington, D.C. in concert with with the inspector general to investigate the corruption accusations, including Hillary Clinton’s involvement with a Russian nuclear energy agency and whether the FBI acted improperly in its surveillance of a Trump campaign adviser.
Inspector General Michael Horowitz announced yesterday that he will investigate whether the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) court process to obtain a warrant for conducting surveillance of Trump foreign policy adviser and U.S. citizen Carter Page, although he did not mention Page by name.
The inspector general’s office will also probe the bureau’s contacts with Christopher Steele, who put together the Trump dossier, which was funded by Democrats and used in the FISA court applications.
Even though the inspector general is the FBI’s internal watchdog, congressional Republicans have argued that the Department of Justice cannot investigate itself in these matters, and a special counsel is required.