Manafort is suing Robert Mueller and the Department of Justice
- Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is suing special counsel Robert Mueller, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and the US Department of Justice.
- Manafort is accusing Rosenstein of exceeding his power by appointing Mueller to investigate the Trump campaign's ties to Russia and "any matters that arose or may arise directly from" the initial inquiry.
- Manafort pleaded not guilty in October to 12 counts related to money laundering, tax fraud, and conspiracy against the US.
Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, filed a civil lawsuit against special counsel Robert Mueller, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and the US Department of Justice, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
Manafort alleged in the lawsuit that Rosenstein overstepped the scope of his authority when he appointed Mueller to investigate not just "links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump," but also "any matters that arose or may arise directly from" the investigation.
The appointment order, Manafort's suit alleges, "in effect purports to grant Mr. Mueller carte blanche to investigate and pursue criminal charges in connection with anything he stumbles across while investigation, no matter how remote from the specific matter identified as the subject of the Appointment Order."
Mueller's office charged Manafort and his longtime associate, Rick Gates, in October with 12 counts related to money laundering, tax fraud, and conspiracy against the US.
This is a developing story...