SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, who led the letter calling for an independent special prosecutor to be appointed to look into alleged Russian interference in the election. (Photo: Jennifer Cogswell/City Year/flickr/cc)
20 AGs Demand Immediate Appointment of Special Prosecutor for Russia Probe
'We urge you to consider the damage to our democratic system of any attempts by the administration to derail and deligitimize the investigations,' group writes
May 12, 2017
Following President Donald Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey, 20 state attorneys general have added their voices to the chorus and called for an independent special prosecutor to probe alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The letter (pdf), dated May 11 and addressed to U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (as Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself), refers to Comey's dismissal "in the middle of his investigation" of such interference "a violation of the public trust."
The letter reads:
As the chief law enforcement officers of our respective states, we view the President's firing of FBI Director James Comey in the middle of his investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election as a violation of the public trust. As prosecutors committed to the rule of law, we urge you to consider the damage to our democratic system of any attempts by the administration to derail and deligitimize the investigations.
The residents of our states and the American people deserve a thorough investigation that makes clear the extent of Russian meddling, any collusion by Trump campaign officials, and any cover-up. Only the appointment of an independent special counsel, pursuant to [Justice Department regulation] 28 CFR 600.1, with full powers and resources, can begin to restore public confidence. We urge you to appoint a special counsel immediately.
\u201cPresident Trump's firing of James Comey was a violation of public trust. Deputy AG Rosenstein must appoint a special counsel immediately.\u201d— Maura Healey (@Maura Healey) 1494513005
The letter was spearheaded by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, and was also signed by the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Delaware, and Minnesota.
"As the top legal officers in the states, and in many cases the top law enforcement officers, it's something in which we have experience, expertise, and deep concern," Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said to Newsweek.
Several congressional committees and federal agencies have ongoing investigations into the matter, and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said to a Senate committee Thursday that his agency's probe was still a "highly significant investigation."
Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, for her part, said, "There is growing support for an independent prosecutor to take over that investigation without the risk of meddling from any political figure (and) the attorney generals' letter is part of that growing chorus of concern."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Following President Donald Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey, 20 state attorneys general have added their voices to the chorus and called for an independent special prosecutor to probe alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The letter (pdf), dated May 11 and addressed to U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (as Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself), refers to Comey's dismissal "in the middle of his investigation" of such interference "a violation of the public trust."
The letter reads:
As the chief law enforcement officers of our respective states, we view the President's firing of FBI Director James Comey in the middle of his investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election as a violation of the public trust. As prosecutors committed to the rule of law, we urge you to consider the damage to our democratic system of any attempts by the administration to derail and deligitimize the investigations.
The residents of our states and the American people deserve a thorough investigation that makes clear the extent of Russian meddling, any collusion by Trump campaign officials, and any cover-up. Only the appointment of an independent special counsel, pursuant to [Justice Department regulation] 28 CFR 600.1, with full powers and resources, can begin to restore public confidence. We urge you to appoint a special counsel immediately.
\u201cPresident Trump's firing of James Comey was a violation of public trust. Deputy AG Rosenstein must appoint a special counsel immediately.\u201d— Maura Healey (@Maura Healey) 1494513005
The letter was spearheaded by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, and was also signed by the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Delaware, and Minnesota.
"As the top legal officers in the states, and in many cases the top law enforcement officers, it's something in which we have experience, expertise, and deep concern," Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said to Newsweek.
Several congressional committees and federal agencies have ongoing investigations into the matter, and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said to a Senate committee Thursday that his agency's probe was still a "highly significant investigation."
Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, for her part, said, "There is growing support for an independent prosecutor to take over that investigation without the risk of meddling from any political figure (and) the attorney generals' letter is part of that growing chorus of concern."
Following President Donald Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey, 20 state attorneys general have added their voices to the chorus and called for an independent special prosecutor to probe alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The letter (pdf), dated May 11 and addressed to U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (as Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself), refers to Comey's dismissal "in the middle of his investigation" of such interference "a violation of the public trust."
The letter reads:
As the chief law enforcement officers of our respective states, we view the President's firing of FBI Director James Comey in the middle of his investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election as a violation of the public trust. As prosecutors committed to the rule of law, we urge you to consider the damage to our democratic system of any attempts by the administration to derail and deligitimize the investigations.
The residents of our states and the American people deserve a thorough investigation that makes clear the extent of Russian meddling, any collusion by Trump campaign officials, and any cover-up. Only the appointment of an independent special counsel, pursuant to [Justice Department regulation] 28 CFR 600.1, with full powers and resources, can begin to restore public confidence. We urge you to appoint a special counsel immediately.
\u201cPresident Trump's firing of James Comey was a violation of public trust. Deputy AG Rosenstein must appoint a special counsel immediately.\u201d— Maura Healey (@Maura Healey) 1494513005
The letter was spearheaded by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, and was also signed by the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Delaware, and Minnesota.
"As the top legal officers in the states, and in many cases the top law enforcement officers, it's something in which we have experience, expertise, and deep concern," Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said to Newsweek.
Several congressional committees and federal agencies have ongoing investigations into the matter, and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said to a Senate committee Thursday that his agency's probe was still a "highly significant investigation."
Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, for her part, said, "There is growing support for an independent prosecutor to take over that investigation without the risk of meddling from any political figure (and) the attorney generals' letter is part of that growing chorus of concern."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.