Mueller just obtained a warrant that could change the entire nature of the Russia investigation [View all]

[orangecrush]

Mueller just obtained a warrant that could change the entire nature of the Russia investigation
Robert Mueller obtained a search warrant for records of "inauthentic" Facebook accounts

It's bad news for Russian election interference "deniers"
Mueller may be looking to charge specific foreign entities with a crime
FBI Special Counsel Robert Mueller reportedly obtained a search warrant for records of the "inauthentic" accounts Facebook shut down earlier this month and the targeted ads these accounts purchased during the 2016 election.

The warrant was first disclosed by the Wall Street Journal on Friday night and the news was later confirmed by CNN.

Legal experts say the revelation has enormous implications for the trajectory of Mueller's investigation into Russia's election interference, and whether Moscow had any help from President Donald Trump's campaign team.

"This is big news — and potentially bad news for the Russian election interference 'deniers,'" said Asha Rangappa, a former FBI counterintelligence agent.

Rangappa, now an associate dean at Yale Law School, explained that to obtain a search warrant a prosecutor needs to prove to a judge that there is reason to believe a crime has been committed. The prosecutor then has to show that the information being sought will provide evidence of that crime.

Mueller would not have sought a warrant targeting Facebook as a company, Rangappa noted. Rather, he would have been interested in learning more about specific accounts.


"The key here, though, is that Mueller clearly already has enough information on these accounts — and their link to a potential crime to justify forcing to give up the info," she said. "That means that he has uncovered a great deal of evidence through other avenues of Russian election interference."

It also means that Mueller is no longer looking at Russia's election interference from a strict counterintelligence standpoint — rather, he now believes he may be able to obtain enough evidence to charge specific foreign entities with a crime.


http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-obtains-warrant-for-russia-linked-facebook-ads-and-accounts-2017-9