May 15, 2017

Senate Dems want special prosecutor before FBI Director

Shannon Vavra

Carolyn Kaster / AP

Richard Blumenthal, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Monday he believes an independent special prosecutor should be appointed to the Trump-Russia probe before a vote is held on the next FBI Director.

Join the club: Blumenthal joins Senate Intel Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Minority Whip Dick Durbin, Kirsten Gillibrand and Dianne Feinstein.

Democrats aren't agreeing on who should appoint the special prosecutor — Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would normally be responsible for appointing one, but role he played James Comey's firing has raised red flags for some Dems.

  • Blumenthal followed up by tweeting "if Deputy AG won't step up, I'll introduce a bill" to start the process, indicating he thinks the ball is in Rosenstein's court.
  • But Schumer said last week that Rosenstein should not appoint the special prosecutor.

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  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10:30 a.m. ET: 1,502,618 — Total deaths: 89,915 — Total recoveries: 339,775 — Map.
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  3. Business: The Fed will lend up to $2.3 trillion. — Another 6.6 million jobless claims were filed last week
  4. Federal government latest: Congress' $250 billion PPP injection could come too late for some businesses.
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