Trump-appointed judge rules Robert Mueller Russia investigation is constitutional
A federal judge appointed by Donald Trump has upheld that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into election meddling is legal and constitutional after a Russian company tried to stamp it out.
Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was appointed to US District Court of Washington, DC last year, ruled that Russian company Concord Management and Consulting could not have its case thrown out on the basis of constitutionality. The company has been accused of allegedly backing internet trolls and other efforts on social media to sway voters in the 2016 presidential election. The company denies the allegations.
Concord Management had claimed Mr Mueller lacked authority and his investigation violated the US Constitution because he was not appointed by the president or confirmed by the US Senate, instead Mr Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Back in June, Mr Trump tweeted that Mr Mueller’s appointment was unconstitutional.
“The appointment of the Special Counsel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL!” Mr Trump wrote. “Despite that, we play the game because I, unlike the Democrats, have done nothing wrong!”
But Judge Friedrich ruled in favour of Mr Mueller..
“The appointment does not violate core separation-of-powers principles,” Judge Friedrich wrote in a 13, August ruling according to CNN. “Nor has the Special Counsel exceeded his authority under the appointment order by investigating and prosecuting Concord.”
Three other federal judges, Amy Berman Jackson of DC, T.S. Ellis in Virginia and Beryl Howell, a DC district court chief judge, have all similarly previously rejected attempts to discredit Mr Mueller’s appointment as unconstitutional.
