Robert Mueller Gets Off to Fast Start as Special Counsel and More in Politics Today

It’s difficult to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in this country and to break through the clutter, so we’re here to make it easier. Here’s what we at Countable are reading today:

1. Robert Mueller Gets Off to Fast Start as Special Counsel in Russia Probe

Robert Mueller III quickly got to work as special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election: building a team, designing a budget and forcing the Federal Bureau of Investigation to withhold from Congress documents he may be interested in—all in his first full week on the job.

The appointment of Mr. Mueller suggests the investigation is in the early stages, and it could take years to conclude. Clashes between the special prosecutor investigation and parallel inquiries by Congress are likely just beginning.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal.

2. Trump aides facing perilous stage of Russia probe

Robert Mueller’s special investigation may just be starting, but for President Donald Trump and his aides, it’s already entered one of the most legally treacherous phases.

Now that Trump’s current and former aides and allies officially know a probe exists, they’re responsible for preserving all available information that might be relevant. That’s a task complicated by the rise of auto-delete apps like Confide, Signal and WhatsApp, as well as the move his campaign staffers have made into the White House.

Hanging over them all: Any failure to keep track of emails, messages and other records could expose them to criminal charges down the line.

Read more at Politico.

3. Leaked Documents Reveal Counterterrorism Tactics Used At Standing Rock To "Defeat Pipeline Insurgencies"

A shadowy international mercenary and security firm known as TigerSwan targeted the movement opposed to the Dakota Access Pipeline with military-style counterterrorism measures, collaborating closely with police in at least five states, according to internal documents obtained by The Intercept. The documents provide the first detailed picture of how TigerSwan, which originated as a U.S. military and State Department contractor helping to execute the global war on terror, worked at the behest of its client Energy Transfer Partners, the company building the Dakota Access Pipeline, to respond to the indigenous-led movement that sought to stop the project.

Additional documents, obtained via public records requests, consist of communications among agents from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Justice Department, the Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as state and local police. The “Intel Group,” as its members refer to it, closely monitored anti-Dakota Access protests in real time, scooped up information on the water protectors from social media, and shared intelligence.

Read more at The Intercept.

4. VA drug thefts continue despite new efforts

Federal authorities have launched dozens of new criminal investigations into possible opioid and other drug theft by employees at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, a sign the problem isn't going away despite new prevention efforts.

Data obtained by The Associated Press show 36 cases opened by the VA inspector general's office from Oct. 1 through May 19. It brings the total number of open criminal investigations to 108 involving missing prescriptions, theft or unauthorized drug use. Most of those probes typically lead to criminal charges.

Read more at Fox News.

5. In tweet, Trump recognizes Portland victims for ‘standing up to hate and intolerance’

President Trump tweeted Monday that the attack on a light-rail train in Portland, Ore., on Friday that killed two men was "unacceptable." Police say the victims were killed as they confronted a man who was shouting insults against Muslims. Trump recognized the victims for “standing up to hate and intolerance.”

The tweet came from the president's official Twitter account, @POTUS, which is chiefly run by his staff, and not from his personal account, @realDonaldTrump, which he controls. Trump has faced criticism for staying quiet about the attack for so many days, even though he is quick to react to violent acts carried out by Muslim extremists.

Read more at the Washington Post.

— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Wikimedia / Creative Commons)