WASHINGTON — The U.S.Justice Department has appointed an independent special counsel to oversee criminal investigations related to former President Donald Trump and decide whether to bring any charges now that he’s making a third run for the White House in 2024.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday he determined it was in the public interest to appoint a special counsel given “recent developments,” including Trump’s announcement that he planned to run for president again and President Joe Biden’s stated intention to run for re-election.
“The Department of Justice has long recognized that in certain extraordinary cases it is in the public interest to appoint a special prosecutor to independently manage an investigation and prosecution,” Garland told reporters in Washington.
