TV News LIES

Special counsel Robert Mueller has added 13 attorneys — with more still to come — as his investigation quickly expands beyond potential collusion between President Donald Trump’s campaign with Russia to potential obstruction of justice case by the president.

Mueller spokesman Peter Carr confirmed in an email Friday the total number of staffers working on the Russia probe, while adding “several more in the pipeline.”

Carr didn’t disclose the names of any of Mueller staffers beyond the ones who had previously been reported were on the Russia investigation squad — a prosecution team with experience going after everything from the Mafia and Enron to al Qaeda and President Richard Nixon.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has privately told colleagues that he may have to recuse himself from the special counsel investigation of Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election, ABC News reported Friday.

Rosenstein was charged with overseeing the probe after he took office in April because Attorney General Jeff Sessions had recused himself from the matter amid revelations that he failed to disclose to the Senate two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

An independent watchdog group on Friday approved an investigation of civil rights enforcement in the Trump administration, saying it has "grave concerns" about signals coming from federal agencies — calling out comments by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in particular.

The 6-2 vote by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights approving the statement calling for a two-year review followed a dispute between two commissioners over the language that calls out DeVos. That language cites that the Education secretary's "repeated refusal in Congressional testimony and other public statements to commit that the department would enforce federal civil rights laws" is "particularly troubling."

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President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday that he is under investigation for firing FBI Director James Comey, and appeared to attack his own deputy attorney general for launching the special counsel probe that has intensified in recent days.

“I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt,” Trump tweeted.

The president did not immediately clarify the tweet, which likely refers to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, but could also refer to special counsel Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the larger investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion between Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the finances and business dealings of Trump son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner, in relation to his investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election, the Washington Post reported Thursday, citing U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

CBS News confirmed late last month that Kushner is under scrutiny in the probe into Russian election meddling. The special counsel's office did not respond to a request for comment on the report.

Vice President Mike Pence has retained his own attorney as two congressional committees and special counsel Robert Mueller investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible ties between members of Donald Trump’s campaign team and Moscow.

Pence has retained as outside counsel Richard Cullen, a partner at McGuire Woods, the vice president's office confirmed on Thursday.