Mueller portfolio grows with Manafort, Flynn probes

The Justice Department special counsel investigating possible ties between President Trump’s campaign and Russia has also taken over a separate criminal probe involving former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Robert Mueller also might expand his inquiry to investigate the roles of Trump’s attorney general and deputy attorney general in the firing of FBI Director James Comey.

The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Manafort, forced to resign as Trump campaign chairman last August amid questions over his business dealings years ago in Ukraine, predated the 2016 election.

The move to consolidate the matters, involving allegations of misuse of Ukrainian government funds, indicates that Mueller is assuming a broad mandate in his new role running the sensational investigations.

It was also revealed on Friday that Mueller will take over a grand jury investigating ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Mueller wants to examine Flynn’s paid work as a lobbyist for a Turkish businessman in 2016 as well as contacts between Flynn and Russian officials during and after the Nov. 8 election, Reuters reported, citing three sources.

Federal prosecutors in Virginia are investigating a deal between Flynn and Turkish businessman Ekim Alptekin and his company, Inovo.