Apr 3, 2018 - World

DOJ authorized Mueller to investigate Manafort collusion last year

Paul Manafort is met by the press as he leaves court. Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein authorized Special Counsel Robert Mueller last August to investigate former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for crimes related to possible collusion with Russian officials to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and his work with the Ukrainian government, reports the Wall Street Journal. That mandate came via a memo from Rosenstein to Mueller that was then attached to court filings in Manafort's ongoing legal proceedings.

Why it matters: Rosenstein's memo deflates Manafort's legal argument that Mueller's indictment was outside of the scope of his investigation. It also confirms that officials at the highest levels of the Department of Justice are giving Mueller wide latitude to conduct his work as he sees fit.

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Jacob Knutson
6 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Trump commutes Roger Stone's sentence

Roger Stone arriving at his sentencing hearing on Feb. 20. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

President Trump on Friday evening commuted the sentence of his longtime associate Roger Stone, according to two senior administration officials. Stone in February was sentenced to 40 months in prison for crimes including obstruction, witness tampering and making false statements to Congress.

Why it matters: The controversial move brings an abrupt end to the possibility of Stone spending time behind bars. He had been scheduled to report to prison on July 14.

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Orion Rummler
Updated 7 hours ago - Health

Which states have set single-day coronavirus records this week

Data: COVID Tracking Project and state health department data compiled by Axios; Map: Danielle Alberti and Naema Ahmed/Axios

13 states this week surpassed records set just last week for their highest number of coronavirus infections in a single day, according to the COVID Tracking Project and state health department data. 16 states in total reported new highs.

The big picture: The United States' alarming rise in coronavirus cases isn't just due to increased testing — particularly where the number of cases has grown fastest over the last month, Axios' Andrew Witherspoon and Caitlin Owens report.

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Axios
Updated 7 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 12,389,660 — Total deaths: 557,279 — Total recoveries — 6,830,596 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 3,169,611 — Total deaths: 133,885 — Total recoveries: 983,185 — Total tested: 38,856,341 — Map.
  3. Public health: The reality of the coronavirus bites.
  4. Trade: Trump says he's no longer considering phase-two trade deal with China because the pandemic damaged the two countries' relationship.
  5. 🎧 Podcast: Rural America has its own coronavirus problem.
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