DOJ Warns Against Stories Attributed to Anonymous ‘Officials’

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein issued a stern warning on Thursday, urging caution in using “anonymous ‘officials’.”

The warning comes one day after a Washington Post story that cited five “anonymous” sources as the basis for a story claiming that FBI Russia election interference investigation special counsel Robert Mueller had also begun investigating President Donald Trump for possible obstruction of justice.

Trump tweeted in what appears to be a response to that story:

They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017

You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history – led by some very bad and conflicted people! #MAGA

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017

Why is that Hillary Clintons family and Dems dealings with Russia are not looked at, but my non-dealings are?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017

Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, 'bleached' emails, & had husband meet w/AG days before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017

Rosenstein’s Thursday Department of Justice statement reads:

“Americans should exercise caution before accepting as true any stories attributed to anonymous ‘officials,’ particularly when they do not identify the country — let alone the branch or agency of government — with which the alleged sources supposedly are affiliated. Americans should be skeptical about anonymous allegations. The Department of Justice has a long-established policy to neither confirm nor deny such allegations.”

The Post report came very shortly after CNN revealed that three members of Mueller’s legal team on the Russia investigation have made donations almost exclusively to Democrats. Two of the three gave the maximum contributions to Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016.

The Trump Administration has suffered from leaks within its ranks from the early days. President Trump has continued to speak out against such leaks. The United Kingdom temporarily restricted sharing of certain intelligence information with the U.S. after someone leaked information regarding perpetrators of the Manchester Islamic terror attack.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana