The Justice Department on Wednesday named a special prosecutor to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives, CNN reports.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced Wednesday that former FBI Director Robert Mueller will head the Justice Department’s investigation. Rosenstein took over the department’s Russia probe after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself following intense scrutiny over his ties to the Trump campaign.

In a letter obtained by CNN, the Justice Department authorized Mueller “to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters.”

Raw Story is now on Instagram. Get our latest stories and
exclusive videos. Click to follow!

“In my capacity as acting attorney general, I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authority and appoint a Special Counsel to assume responsibility for this matter,” Rosenstein said in a statement.

“What I have determined is that based upon the unique circumstances, the public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command,” he added.

CNN’s Carol Costello reports that the White House received less than one hour notice that a special counsel had been appointed.

#URGENT: White House received less than one hour notice on Special Counsel

— Carol Costello (@CarolCNN) May 17, 2017

According to NBC News, former Trump aides Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort are key figures in the investigation. The FBI is examining contacts, money transfers and business relationships between Trump associates and Russian operatives.

Last week, Rosenstein said there was no need for a special prosecutor in the Russia probe. In the days since, reports emerged that Trump asked fired FBI director James Comey to stop investigating Flynn, his former national security adviser. Those reports intensified calls for a special counsel in the investigation.

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We’ve launched a weekly podcast, “We’ve Got Issues,” focused on issues, not tweets. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. We’re not part of a conglomerate, or a project of venture capital bros. From unflinching coverage of racism, to revealing efforts to erode our rights, Raw Story will continue to expose hypocrisy and harm. Unhinged from billionaires and corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to keep producing quality journalism and deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We’ve launched a weekly podcast, “We’ve Got Issues,” focused on issues, not tweets. Unlike other news sites, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. We’re not part of a conglomerate, or a project of venture capital bros. From unflinching coverage of racism, to revealing efforts to erode our rights, Raw Story will continue to expose hypocrisy and harm. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to keep producing quality journalism and deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.