What next for Russia probe?

President Donald Trump’s dismissal of FBI director James Comey has raised questions about the future of the agency’s probe into Russian attempts to sway the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with Trump’s campaign. Democrats are worried Comey’s firing could jeopardise the ongoing FBI probe and have renewed calls for an independent investigation. Some Republicans have said that could undermine concurrent investigations under way in the US Senate and House of Representatives. Here is what could happen next: end, legal experts told Reuters. The career FBI staffers Comey put in charge of the probe will likely continue it, even as the search for a new director begins. The parallel inquiries under way in Senate and House committees could likewise progress.

The Justice Department, other federal agencies or the US Congress could conduct independent investigations. The Justice Department could conduct a criminal investigation. But other federal agencies and departments have the power to conduct fact-finding inquiries, according to University of Southern California law professor Sam Erman. Congress could also create a special commission or appoint a special master separate from the committee probes, Erman said.

The Justice Department could appoint a special counsel. Most Democrats have said they prefer the appointment of a special counsel at the Justice Department to oversee the probe since it is the only agency that can bring a criminal case. A law related to the appointment of a special prosecutor lapsed in the 1990s but department regulations provide that the Attorney General can appoint a special counsel from outside the federal government. If the Attorney General ignores the recommendations of a special counsel, the rules specify that a report must be sent to Congress, according to Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. The