U.S. District Court judge Beryl Howard repeatedly noted House Democrats’ ongoing impeachment inquiry in her ruling, saying the Mueller materials could assist with their investigation. Howard determined that the grand jury materials, which would normally stay secret, have a greater need for disclosure in the impeachment inquiry. She also disagreed with the argument that the impeachment inquiry is illegitimate because a formal vote hasn’t been held on it, and she wrote that a vote isn’t required to start one. Tangent: Howard’s ruling comes just hours after the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the origins of the Mueller inquiry. It also found evidence the Trump campaign expected to benefit from Russian involvement in the election.

Source: Forbes October 25, 2019 20:20 UTC