Congressional probes related to alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election are likely to be complicated or stalled by the appointment of former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III as a special counsel investigating the same topic, despite pledges by some lawmakers Thursday to forge ahead.
 
[...]  
 
But behind closed doors, lawmakers are growing increasingly nervous that with Mueller’s rise, their committee probes may be pushed aside — especially if he chooses to pursue a broad inquiry encompassing everything from the earliest allegations of Russian hacks to the circumstances that led to the firing of former FBI director James B. Comey.
 
Justice Department officials said Mueller would likely conduct his investigation almost entirely independent of Congress. But congressional investigators must take pains not to bump heads with the FBI’s inquiry. Committee leaders have already been having talks with senior Justice Department officials to “deconflict” their efforts — but lawmakers worry that if Mueller widens the scope of his investigation, they may have few witnesses at their disposal.
 
[...]
 
“How can you subpoena somebody to come to Congress when they’re under criminal investigation? You can’t,” said Graham, lamenting that “one of the biggest losers of this decision is public access.”
 
The potential problems aren’t confined to witnesses. Lawmakers are also worried about being able to get access to information they need to continue their investigations.
 
[...]  
 
For now, the missions of Congress and Mueller are different: Mueller is examining the case with an eye on criminal charges, while Congress is looking into the matter to educate the public and consider legislation that might address the broader threat of Russian influence.
 
Mueller’s work, unlike Congress’s, should be completely secret, because he is using a grand jury and cannot legally release information from that proceeding unless there is a trial, said Jacob Frenkel, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice at Dickinson Wright. Frenkel worked previously in the Office of Independent Counsel — a type of special prosecutor no longer in use.
 
[...]

@Silverfoxgranny:  #SaudiArabia Saudi Arabia are nothing but mouth pieces, bullies, cowards. They have the money, but no guts

Si je comprends bien, la nomination de Mueller tire le tapis de sous les pieds du Congrès et de ses enquêtes ?

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Donald Trump sits down for dinner in Saudi Arabia, caterers have ensured that his favorite meal - steak with a side of ketchup - will be offered alongside the traditional local cuisine.

At NATO and the Group of 7 summits, foreign delegations have gotten word that the new U.S. president prefers short presentations and lots of visual aids. And at all of Trump's five stops on his first overseas trip, his team has spent weeks trying to build daily downtime into his otherwise jam-packed schedule.

It's all part of a worldwide effort to accommodate America's homebody president on a voyage with increasingly raised stakes given the ballooning controversy involving his campaign's possible ties to Russia. For a former international businessman, Trump simply doesn't have an affinity for much international.

Even before Trump's trip morphed from a quick jaunt to Europe into a nine-day behemoth, White House aides were on edge about how the president would take to grueling pressures of foreign travel: the time zone changes, the unfamiliar hotels, the local delicacies. Two officials said they feared that a difficult trip might even lead the president to hand off future traveling duties to Vice President Mike Pence.

Foreign officials meeting President Trump during his first overseas trip are being told to praise him for winning the Electoral College last year, the New York Times reported Friday.
 
Embassies and leaders who have met with Trump have been speaking among themselves and with other dignitaries about how to handle the new president, and a number of themes have emerged, the report said. Among them:
 
- Compliment Trump on his election win, and compare him favorably to former President Obama.
 
- Don't expect him to know your country's history or hot-button issues.
 
- Make a short presentation tailored to his attention span, and don't try to bring up a long list of issues.

Les régimes de retraites des fonctionnaires seraient sous-financés à hauteur de 3.850 milliards de dollars. Ils pourraient plonger le pays dans une nouvelle crise, à l’instar de celle des « subprimes » immobiliers.