Article snippet: Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election and any collusion between Russia and high-ranking aides to President Trump. Mueller’s probe will ultimately be overseen by Rosenstein. In March, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from all matters relating to the presidential election. The position of special counsel gives Mueller a great deal of freedom to conduct the inquiry as he sees fit, including the ability to "prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation" if he believes it "necessary and appropriate," according to Rosenstein's order. The "General Powers of Special Counsel" are elucidated in Title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations. In addition to his investigatory and prosecutorial abilities with relation to the interference in the election, as set out by Rosenstein, Mueller is also granted the capacity to pursue crimes committed in the course of his probe. These include "perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence and intimidation of witnesses." Mueller will have the same powers of a U.S. attorney (Mueller himself served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California from 1998-2001). As special counsel, Mueller can bring matters to a grand jury, which would then determine whether to issue criminal charges. He can also issue subpoenas to compel individuals and organizations to... Link to the full article to read more