'Can you do this?': Russia probe conflicts rampant among Rosenstein replacements

[DonViejo]

No matter which way the president looks, he’ll have trouble finding the right fit.

By DARREN SAMUELSOHN and JOSH GERSTEIN 09/27/2018 05:02 AM EDT

President Donald Trump may think he’s getting rid of a problem if he pushes Rod Rosenstein out of the Justice Department. But cleaning house at DOJ will hardly end the president’s headaches from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election meddling and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Moscow on its efforts.

Several Trump administration appointees in line for Rosenstein’s role overseeing Mueller’s probe come with their own baggage, from direct involvement in the probe to recent work at law firms with clients mired in the investigation.

While Trump said Wednesday night that he would “prefer not” to fire Rosenstein — and even indicated he might delay a highly anticipated Thursday meeting at the White House with the deputy attorney general — it’s widely believed that Rosenstein will be out in the near future. The expectation has led the Trump administration to start searching for conflict-free officials who can take over Rosenstein’s myriad and politically charged responsibilities.

They haven’t found many obvious takers.

“I suspect they are all kind of looking up and down the hallways trying to figure out how to find someone who has the detachment and credibility that Rosenstein has had,” said Victoria Bassetti, a fellow with the Brennan Center for Justice and a former top Democratic aide to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/27/rosenstein-replacements-mueller-probe-conflicts-845355