worldUpdated: Dec 25, 2020, 05:59 ISTPresident Donald Trump’s pardons of five people from his 2016 election campaign caps his effort to bleach out the stain on his tenure of the Russia interference investigation. For Trump, the pardons delivered a rebuke to those alleging his election victory was tainted by Russian help. And on Wednesday Trump announced the pardons of political consultant Stone and campaign chairman Manafort, both convicted of obstructing the investigations and lying. On December 1 Barr formally named a Mueller-like special counsel to conduct an independent “criminal” probe into the Russian investigators, including Mueller himself. That could continue for months after Trump cedes the White House to Democrat Joe Biden on January 20.

Source: Hindustan Times December 25, 2020 00:17 UTC