Countable Explains: Who's Who in the Russia Investigation

Rod Rosenstein

Role:

Deputy Attorney General

Quote:

"Almost everyone agrees that [FBI Director Comey] made serious mistakes; it is one of the few issues that unites people of diverse perspectives."

— Rosenstein, in his memorandum to Sessions

Key dates:

• May 2, 2017: AG Jeff Sessions recuses himself from any investigation into charges that Russia interfered with the 2016 election.

• May 8, 2017: Trump directs Sessions and Rosenstein to make a written case against FBI Director James Comey. The next day, Rosenstein turns in a memo to Sessions recommending the President fire Comey.

• May 17, 2017: Rosenstein taps Mueller to serve as special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. He tells the full Senate that he knew Comey would be fired before he wrote his memo

Current Mood:

Flexible. Rosenstein told the Associated Press he’d recuse himself if he himself became a subject of Muller’s investigation over his role in firing Comey.