BFF-58 Top official in Trump-Russia probe to resign or be fired: US media

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US-POLITICS-INVESTIGATION

Top official in Trump-Russia probe to resign or be fired: US media

WASHINGTON, Sept 24, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney
general overseeing the probe into alleged collusion between Russia and
President Donald Trump, was about to resign or be fired Monday, US media
reported.

Several media including The New York Times and The Washington Post
reported that Rosenstein was preparing to be dismissed, following the
publication of reports that he had discussed ways to remove Trump over
incompetence.

He was expected to arrive at the White House shortly.

It was not immediately clear whether he would be sacked, or would resign
first, the reports said.

The departure of Rosenstein — possibly giving Trump an opportunity to get
more of a loyalist as a replacement — would dramatically rock the probe into
whether Russia colluded with the Trump campaign in his shock presidential
election victory in 2016.

Rosenstein plays a key role in overseeing the probe by Special Counsel
Robert Mueller, which Trump calls a politically motivated “witch hunt.”

In a highly unusual move for a US president, Trump has repeatedly attacked
the Justice Department and the FBI, claiming that they are biased against
him.

Just last Friday, Trump referred in a speech to supporters to a “lingering
stench” at the Justice Department that he would soon eradicate.

The rancor between Trump and his own law enforcement officials took an
extraordinary turn with reports that in May 2017 Rosenstein suggested
secretly recording Trump for evidence of White House dysfunction — and using
that to remove him from power.

The New York Times and Washington Post reports were based on secret memos
by a former FBI director — which some speculated may have been leaked in
order to undermine Rosenstein, and in turn the Russia special prosecutor
Mueller.

Democrat opponents and also many from his own Republican Party have warned
Trump not to take any action that could be seen as attempting to weaken or
even dismantle the Russia probe.

BSS/AFP/FI/ 2207 hrs