Lindsey Graham: Russia probe ‘now a criminal investigation’

By Marisa Schultz and Mark Moore
May 18, 2017 | 4:45pm | Updated

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A senior Republican senator said Thursday that the probe into Russian meddling in the US election “is now a criminal investigation.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham used the term after he and all other senators were briefed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in an extraordinary sessions at the Capitol.

“The shock to the body is that this is now a criminal investigation,” Graham (R-SC) said moments after he exited the Senate chamber.

He said as a result Congress may be impeded in carrying out its own examination of Russia’s actions.

“Mr. Mueller will tell us what we can get,” Graham said, referring to former FBI Director Robert Mueller, the new special counsel looking into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether Trump campaign officials colluded with Moscow.

Graham said it may be harder to subpoena former national security adviser Michael Flynn and have people testify – like fired FBI Director James Comey – because Mueller will keep witnesses to himself.

“One of the losers in this, is the public,” he said.

But Sen. Marco Rubio said he believes the two investigations could co-exist side-by-side.

“I hope the two investigations will not be in conflict,” said Rubio (R-Fla).

Rosenstein was invited by Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last week to address the chamber to explain why Trump fired Comey.

Rosenstein is scheduled to address House members on Friday.

On Thursday morning, Trump blasted the naming of the special counsel, saying he was the victim of the “greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!”

http://nypost.com/2017/05/18/lindsey...investigation/