"Robert Mueller is a highly respected former FBI Director who has tremendous integrity, and I'm confident he will lead a credible investigation", Nunes said. Dianne Feinstein, the top Judiciary Committee Democrat, saying there was "no better person who could be asked to perform this function". The action was a concession by the Trump administration to Democratic demands for the investigation to be run independently of the Justice Department.
And when Comey didn't, Trump fired him.
A date has not been set for the public hearing.
Senator Chuck Grassley released the following statement following the announcement. Democrats and some of the president's fellow Republicans had demanded an independent probe of whether Russian Federation tried to sway the outcome of November's election in favor of Trump and against Democrat Hillary Clinton. I hope that Director Mueller's investigation will be truly independent and free to follow the facts wherever they lead. If so, the special counsel can prosecute the case.
A graduate of the University of Virginia Law School, Mueller served as a USA attorney under Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
Republicans have largely stood behind Trump as the FBI and congressional investigations into Russia's election meddling intensified.
The special counsel is appointed by the attorney general - or, in this case, because attorney general Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any Russia inquiries after revelations that he held two undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassadors a year ago - by the deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein.
After leaving the FBI, Mueller joined private law firm WilmerHale. Spokespeople declined to comment further.
The appointment seemed meant to quell mounting questions about the Justice Department's ability to independently oversee the investigation. In notes written right after the meeting, Comey says that Trump explicitly asked him to please drop the whole Russian Federation investigation. One difference, however: Special counsels get to choose whether they inform the Justice Department what they're up to.
GOP lawmaker raises option of impeaching Trump over Comey
Therefore, says the Justice Department, "it follows that an endeavor to obstruct justice need not be successful to be criminal". Yates was sacked soon after because the White House said she refused to defend the president's travel ban in court.
He also pledges to never stop fighting for the people and issues that are important to the country's future.
In a written statement, Trump insisted anew that there were no nefarious ties between his campaign and Russian Federation.
"As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know - there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity", he said in a tersely-worded statement. Meanwhile, premature talk of impeaching Trump should cease as this investigation goes forward.
In picking Mueller, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation director who served under presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, the Justice Department satisfies earlier calls for independent oversight some Democrats and Republicans made after President Donald Trump fired Comey on May 9. "So those are two different needs, and I think they're complementary, not in competition with each other". The former FBI director has a long history with investigations and prosecutions. "Director Mueller will still be in the chain of command under the Trump-appointed leadership of the Justice Department".
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, cheered the choice, writing on twitter: "Impeccable credentials".
In a statement posted to social media, Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn had high praise for Mueller and expressed optimism that the respected prosecutor will get to the bottom of the Russian allegations.
James Comey, Robert Mueller and then-President Barack Obama in the Oval Office.
The independent counsel was a position established by a law that has expired, in part because of dissatisfaction over the independent investigations of Bill Clinton.
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