Exclusive: Mueller refers foreign agent inquiries to New York prosecutors

[Right_in_Virginia]

Exclusive: Mueller refers foreign agent inquiries to New York prosecutors
CNN, Jul 31, 2018

Special counsel Robert Mueller has referred a collection of cases to New York federal prosecutors concerning whether several high-profile American lobbyists and operatives failed to register their work as foreign agents, according to people familiar with the matter.

The transfer of the inquiries marks an escalation of Mueller's referrals to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York in the period since he turned over a case involving President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen.

Since the spring, Mueller has referred matters to SDNY involving longtime Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta and his work for his former firm, the Podesta Group, and former Minnesota Republican Rep. Vin Weber and his work for Mercury Public Affairs, the sources said.

One source said that former Obama White House counsel Greg Craig, a former partner at law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, is also part of the inquiry.

None of the entities involved have been charged with wrongdoing, and there is no indication the SDNY inquiry will result in criminal charges.

***

It's also not clear exactly why Mueller referred the matters to federal prosecutors in New York. Both Mercury and Skadden have offices in Manhattan, though Weber and Craig are based in Washington, DC, and performed the work in question while based in offices there. Podesta and his former firm are also based in Washington. SDNY, however, could claim jurisdiction for reasons such as the location of banking transactions associated with the activity under examination.


More:  https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/31/politics/mueller-investigation-foreign-agent-referrals-new-york/index.html

[Right_in_Virginia]

I'm seriously confused.  Shouldn't Mueller be referring these cases to the Attorney General/DOJ?  How does he determine jurisdiction?

(Like NY is going to prosecute Podesta)

[edpc]

How does he determine jurisdiction?

The article told you.  The banking institution where questionable activity took place is in the jurisdiction.  Without a direct connection to the Trump campaign or organization, Berman should be able to oversee them.  They can always refer it elsewhere.

[Cyber Liberty]

@Right_in_Virginia

This is encouraging, unless it was referred to be dumped in the circular file.  I'll pop some corn and wait. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

The article told you.  The banking institution where questionable activity took place is in the jurisdiction.  They can always refer it elsewhere.

The article speculated.  My question was more Mueller's jurisdiction to determine referral and where.

[Frank Cannon]

Vin Weber is caught up in this thing? Holy mackerel. I didn't know that RINO POS even had a pulse much less a penchant for criminality.

[edpc]

The article speculated.  My question was more Mueller's jurisdiction to determine referral and where.

They made a reasonable speculation, given the previous referral reasons.


The rap on Mueller (including from your humble correspondent) has been that his investigation has no limits. In this instance, though, when a potential crime completely unrelated to his Russia probe fell into his lap, the special counsel took a pass. Mueller referred the matter to the Justice Department and the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York (the SDNY, in Manhattan, where I worked as a prosecutor for nearly 20 years). This was appropriate: The campaign-finance matter has nothing to do with Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election; and Cohen’s law practice, which is the focus of the investigation involving the payment to Daniels (whose real name is Stephanie Clifford), is in the SDNY.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/the-cohen-searches-and-trumps-de-mini-mess/


Regardless of whether it was handed off directly by Mueller or through Rosenstein, the path forward is now in the hands of Trump appointee Geoffrey Berman.