Mueller refers foreign lobbying cases to New York prosecutors
Special counsel Robert Mueller has referred to New York prosecutors cases concerning American lobbyists who allegedly failed to register their work as foreign agents, CBS News' Pat Milton reports.
All of the cases referred by Mueller to the Southern District of New York involve inquiries into whether the individuals did work on behalf of groups associated with Ukraine without registering with the U.S. Justice Department as foreign agents. CNN first reported that Mueller had referred cases alleging failure to register as foreign agents.
Federal law requires that an entity representing a foreign political party of government file public reports detailing that relationship. None of the entities involved have been charged with any wrongdoing, and there is no indication the Southern District of New York's inquiry will result in criminal charges. It is not yet clear why Mueller referred the matters to federal prosecutors in New York.
Earlier this year, Mueller also referred for inquiry the case against President Trump's onetime attorney Michael Cohen to prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. That case is currently under investigation. Mr. Trump initially called the April FBI raids on Cohen's home and office a "disgraceful situation." Since then, the president and his personal legal team have taken a more aggressive stance towards Cohen, who, as CBS News has previously reported, is willing to speak with Mueller and claim Mr. Trump knew about the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting in advance.