Crimes and Courts
Mueller Investigation Enters 2nd Year, Where is it Headed?
Published
8 years agoon
WASHINGTON (AP) — It was one year ago Thursday when Robert Mueller, the former FBI director, was appointed as special counsel to take over the Justice Department’s investigation into possible coordination between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
The 12 months since have yielded a flurry of criminal indictments and guilty pleas, tense court appearances, angry tweets from the president and speculation over what the ever-taciturn Mueller already knows and what he’ll investigate next.
Trump noted the anniversary with an early morning tweet making clear his frustration.
“Congratulations America, we are now into the second year of the greatest Witch Hunt in American History…and there is still No Collusion and No Obstruction. The only Collusion was that done by Democrats who were unable to win an Election despite the spending of far more money!”
Hundreds of pages of court filings, and public statements from witnesses, have to an extent pulled back the curtain on an extraordinarily secretive investigation. But much remains hidden from view.
A look at the last year and what may lie ahead:
WHAT IS MUELLER INVESTIGATING?
There’s no doubt Mueller’s investigation is far reaching, but at its core, prosecutors have remained focused on two central questions:
On the anniversary of Robert Mueller taking over the investigation into possible Russian collusion in the 2016 election, AP Reporter Eric Tucker reflects on the case: who has been questioned, who has been charged and what is yet to come. (May 17)
Did the Trump campaign collude with the Kremlin to tip the 2016 presidential election in the Republican candidate’s favor?
And has Trump tried to obstruct the investigation since taking office through actions including firing FBI Director James Comey and badgering Attorney General Jeff Sessions over his recusal last March from the Russia probe?
___
WHO HAS BEEN QUESTIONED SO FAR?
A veritable who’s who of current and former White House officials, as well as foreign businessmen and top campaign and transition staffers.
Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was questioned last fall about former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn. Trump’s White House counsel, Don McGahn, has been in to see Mueller’s team, as have former chief of staff Reince Priebus, former communications director Hope Hicks, former chief strategist Steve Bannon, California real estate developer and longtime Trump friend Tom Barrack — and dozens of other witnesses.
In a reflection of the wide-angle nature of the investigation, and its ongoing examination of foreign influence on the Trump administration, a grand jury in Washington has heard from a Lebanese-American businessman who joined a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower involving top Trump aides and the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.
A Russian American lobbyist who attended a June 2016 meeting at which Trump’s eldest son expected to receive damaging information about his father’s opponent, Hillary Clinton, also has provided testimony.
___
WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED?
A total of 19 people and three Russian companies have either been indicted or pleaded guilty to criminal charges.
Among those charged are Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is awaiting trial in Virginia and the District of Columbia, and Flynn, who pleaded guilty in December to lying to the FBI and has been cooperating with Mueller’s investigation. Other cooperators include deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates and former campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos.
A Dutch lawyer who lied to the FBI is serving a 30-day prison sentence, and a California man who unwittingly sold bank accounts to Russians has also pleaded guilty.
The single largest criminal case involves 13 Russians and three Russian companies, accused of conspiring together to fund a hidden but effective social media campaign to exploit American divisions on race and other hot-button topics as well as favor Trump over Clinton.
___
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED SO FAR?
The criminal cases so far have not resolved the core question of Trump-Russia collusion, but they have revealed an interest by Russians to aid Trump’s bid, and they’ve exposed the sometimes-shadowy foreign entanglements maintained by Trump aides before, during and after the campaign.
They’ve also underscored how Trump associates were aware of Russian outreach efforts during the campaign and how at least one believed Russia to be in possession of compromising information on Clinton.
An indictment against Manafort and Gates, for instance, accused them of working as foreign agents for Ukrainian interests and funneling millions of dollars from the work into offshore accounts used to fund lavish lifestyles.
Charging documents in Papadopoulos’s case make clear that during the presidential campaign he was told by a professor who claimed powerful connections to the Kremlin that Russia had dirt on Clinton in the form of thousands of emails.
And Flynn’s guilty plea revealed how, contrary to public assertions from the White House, the incoming national security adviser did indeed discuss sanctions with the then-Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, during the transition period.
___
WHAT’S YET TO COME?
The biggest unresolved question is whether Trump will sit for an interview with Mueller — and what will happen if he does not.
Trump at times has expressed a desire to be questioned by the special counsel team, though his mood toward the investigators soured considerably following an April 9 raid targeting his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen — an offshoot investigation in New York City that poses its own legal peril for the president.
Mueller has dozens of questions he’d like to put before the president, largely focused on obstruction but also on the underpinning issue of possible campaign collusion.
The legal team initially hoped to make a decision on an interview by May 17, the one-year mark, but lawyer Rudy Giuliani told The Associated Press last week that they likely won’t decide until after the planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month.
If Trump does say yes, look for his legal team to try to aggressively narrow the scope of questioning and limit the time of any sit-down.
If he says no, Mueller may take the extraordinary step of seeking a grand jury subpoena to force his testimony, though such a move could prolong the investigation by many months and may end with a fight before the U.S. Supreme Court.
___
WHAT HAPPENS IF MUELLER FINDS WRONGDOING BY THE PRESIDENT?
The end game is unclear.
Mueller will be expected to report his findings to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the Justice Department official who appointed him.
A report of his conclusions may then be passed onto Congress, but it’s not clear when or how much of Mueller’s work will be revealed to the public.
Depending on the outcome, it is possible Congress could use the findings to start impeachment proceedings — especially if Democrats take control in the midterm elections.
Justice Department legal memos from 1973 and 2000 have suggested that a sitting president is immune from indictment and that criminal charges would undermine the ability of the commander in chief to do the job.
Mueller would presumably be bound by that conclusion, and Giuliani has suggested that a recent conversation with Mueller’s team led him to believe that the special counsel had ruled out the possibility of trying to indict a sitting president.
___
WHAT HAS MUELLER SAID ABOUT ALL THIS?
Absolutely nothing.
Mueller, never known at the FBI as especially gregarious or verbose, has not spoken publicly about his work since his appointment, nor is he likely to.
The only speaking his attorneys have done has been in court and through detailed charging documents.
It’s unclear how much longer the investigation will last, but it’s more likely than not that Mueller and his team have a sense of where they’re taking it.
Comey, who succeeded Mueller as FBI director and whose firing led to his appointment as special counsel, has said investigators who spend a year digging into something are “incompetent” if they don’t know where their case is heading.
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Crimes and Courts
Family of Corey Ruiz to Speak Publicly for First Time Alongside Attorney Ben Crump Following Fatal Madison Police Shooting
Published
3 weeks agoon
July 24, 2026MADISON, Wis. (July 24, 2026) — Nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump will join the family of Corey Ruiz at a news conference Saturday in Madison, where family members are expected to speak publicly for the first time since Ruiz was fatally shot by a Madison police officer.
Ruiz’s family, joined by attorneys Ben Crump, Steve Hart, and B’Ivory Lamarr, along with State Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D–Madison), is expected to call for a full, independent investigation into the shooting and seek accountability for the circumstances surrounding Ruiz’s death.
According to the Madison Police Department, Ruiz was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon during an encounter with officers at a busy intersection on the city’s near-east side. Police have stated that Ruiz allegedly produced a fixed-blade knife and injured an officer during a struggle before an officer discharged his firearm.
However, video recorded by a bystander and reported by the Wisconsin Examiner appears to show an officer stomping Ruiz while he was on the ground as the first gunshot was fired. The video has drawn increased public attention and renewed questions regarding the officers’ use of force during the incident.
The incident has also highlighted the fact that Madison police officers do not wear body cameras, prompting additional calls from community members and civil rights advocates for greater transparency and independent review.
Scheduled Speakers
- Corey Ruiz’s family
- Attorney Ben Crump
- Attorney Steve Hart
- Attorney B’Ivory Lamarr
- State Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D–Madison)
The news conference is expected to address the family’s response to the shooting, outline the legal team’s next steps, and reiterate calls for an independent investigation into the incident.
Central Florida News
Orlando Police Arrest Three Following Shooting at West Lakes Apartment Complex
Published
1 month agoon
July 10, 2026ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Orlando Police arrested three suspects Thursday following a shooting at the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments that led to a high-speed pursuit spanning Orange and Seminole counties.
Police said no injuries were reported despite multiple rounds being fired during the incident.
Shooting Reported at Apartment Complex
According to the Orlando Police Department (OPD), officers responded at approximately 3:50 p.m. Thursday, July 9, to the 2000 block of Orange Center Boulevard after receiving reports of gunfire at the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments.
During the investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance video showing occupants of a black sedan and a black SUV firing multiple rounds at two individuals riding scooters through the apartment complex.
Investigators said everyone involved fled the scene before officers arrived.
Police Locate Suspect Vehicles
Shortly after the shooting, Orlando officers located both suspect vehicles in the North Pine Hills area.
With assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), officers conducted a traffic stop on the black sedan and detained two suspects without incident.
Officers later located the black SUV and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop, triggering a police pursuit.
Helicopter Assists During Pursuit
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit tracked the fleeing SUV from the air while directing responding officers on the ground.
The pursuit ended in Altamonte Springs, where the driver stopped in front of a Burlington Coat Factory, abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot.
Orlando Police officers quickly apprehended the suspect.
Three Suspects Arrested
Police identified the suspects as:
Jacorey Lowery (DOB: July 8, 2006)
Charges:
- Attempted Felony Murder (Firearm/Discharge)
- Discharging a Firearm at Residential Property
Quincy Desponosse (DOB: April 21, 2008)
Charge:
- Principal to Attempted First-Degree Murder
Semaj Blackshear
Charges:
- Principal to Attempted Felony Murder with a Firearm
- Fleeing and Eluding Law Enforcement at High Speed with Disregard for Public Safety or Property
- Resisting an Officer Without Violence
- Juvenile Violation of Probation
None of the Suspects Lived at the Complex
Investigators determined that none of the three individuals arrested were residents of the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments.
Police have not released information regarding a possible motive or whether the suspects knew the two individuals on the scooters.
Investigation Continues
The Orlando Police Department said the investigation remains active.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).
Crimes and Courts
Attorney General Uthmeier Announces Charges Against Six in South Florida Drug Trafficking Enterprise
Published
2 months agoon
June 13, 2026TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced charges against six individuals accused of participating in a multi-county drug trafficking enterprise operating in Broward County and surrounding areas of South Florida.
The defendants — Isaac Lakeith Bruton, Wayne Morgan Brutton Jr., Wayne Morgan Brutton Sr., Omar Dwayne Cooper, Rene Danger Jr., and Cleon Fabian Reid — are accused of participating in an organized criminal enterprise that allegedly distributed large quantities of illegal narcotics and laundered proceeds from drug sales.
Investigation Spanned Multiple Agencies
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the charges stem from a joint investigation led by the Broward Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Unit and the Office of Statewide Prosecution, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
“This joint investigation dismantled a criminal enterprise that pumped dangerous drugs into Florida communities,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “Through the tireless work of the Office of Statewide Prosecution and our great law enforcement partners, we are taking on more criminal prosecutions than ever before.”
Alleged Drug Trafficking Operation
Investigators allege the organization obtained and distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine, multiple pounds of marijuana, prescription pills and other controlled substances throughout South Florida.
According to authorities, members of the enterprise converted powdered cocaine into crack cocaine near distribution locations and utilized vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to transport narcotics.
The investigation further alleges that Bruton and Cooper laundered proceeds from drug sales through the purchase of vehicles, real estate, business investments, classic car restorations and jewelry.
Charges Filed
Bruton and Cooper are each charged with:
- Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
- Money Laundering (Third-Degree Felony)
Brutton Jr., Brutton Sr., Danger Jr., and Reid are each charged with:
- Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
Potential Penalties
If convicted, Bruton and Cooper face up to 75 years in prison. Brutton Jr., Brutton Sr., Danger Jr., and Reid each face up to 60 years in the Florida Department of Corrections.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Jillian Tate and Nicholas Kaleel.
Presumption of Innocence
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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