The President

Judge Questions Robert Mueller's Authority To Prosecute Paul Manafort

Mueller's original mandate was to investigate Russian meddling in the presidential election and whether the Trump campaign helped in that effort.

Judge Questions Robert Mueller's Authority To Prosecute Paul Manafort
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A federal judge is questioning whether special counsel Robert Mueller has the authority to prosecute Paul Manafort. 

Mueller's original mandate was to investigate Russian meddling in the presidential election and whether the Trump campaign helped in that effort. 

So far, the charges against Manafort don't directly relate to his work for the Trump campaign. Manafort's alleged wrongdoing predates Donald Trump's candidacy.

The judge said multiple times Mueller's team was hoping to flip Manafort against Trump by pursuing those charges. 

But Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein authorized Mueller to go after Manafort. The judge wants to see Rosenstein's memo without any redactions within two weeks.