Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference has been kept under wraps, but his staffing assignments could provide insight on the probe, Politico reports.
Mueller has 17 federal prosecutors on his team, the most experienced of which are focused on high-profile members of President Donald Trump's campaign, including former chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
The three prosecutors involved in Manafort's case have a background in money laundering, fraud, organized crime and foreign bribery.
The attorney heading the Flynn investigation, Jeannie Rhee, has experience working with Muller at the law firm WilmerHale. She is being assisted by Zainab Ahmad, who Politico notes is experienced "in prosecuting and collecting evidence in international criminal and terrorism cases," but whose name has yet to appear in any court filings related to Russia. Rhee also is listed at the leading attorney in the case of former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos.
"Division of labor is essential here," Samuel Buell, Duke University law professor and former assistant U.S. attorney, told Politico. "There's got to be some carving up of this thing into nests of facts."
An unnamed former prosecutor familiar with Mueller's work told Politico that although the special counsel hasn't arranged his staff in a "rigidly hierarchical" way, "I don't discount the fact there might be an org chart in a drawer somewhere. But it's far less relevant to these cases. … I'd fully expect everyone on this team is mature enough and skilled enough to take contributions as they come. It's not a case of, ‘I'm in charge. You're second in command.'"
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