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  • President Obama is being urged in a petition already signed by more than 100,000 people to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Russian connection to the Trump campaign. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

    President Obama is being urged in a petition already signed by more than 100,000 people to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Russian connection to the Trump campaign. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

    President Obama is being urged to appoint a special prosecutor to conduct an independent investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign, according to a petition that has already gained more than 100,000 signatures.

    The petition, created by political Web site Daily Kos, is acutally a vote of “no confidence” in a planned bi-partisan Congressional investigation into the hacking.

    “Congress says the Intelligence committees can handle this issue, but with Republicans in power we know that it will be a snow job. For example, they are not even promising special investigations,” the site protested.


    Our Message to President Obama: The Republican Congress is not taking Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign seriously, even though the intelligence community believes that the Russian government sabotaged the election for Trump’s benefit. Please appoint a special prosecutor to independently investigate this matter.

    Source: Daily Kos Petition


    Some Republican congressmen have said the investigation shouldn’t even focus on the recent election. Rather, the probe should be limited to determining how to prevent similar episodes in future elections.

    The presidential election was thrown into an uproar when Wikileaks began flooding the Internet with private Democratic National Committee emails on the eve of the Democratic convention.

    The emails disrupted an otherwise smooth proceeding and led to the resignation of DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

    Then, during the election, Wikileaks dumped emails stolen from the email account of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

    The emails became a major focus of media coverage and were cited repeatedly by Trump at campaign appearances.

    The nation’s intelligence agencies tied the hacking to Russia in September and affirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had a direct hand in directing the campaign to boost Trump’s chances of winning.

    Several top Trump campaign advisers have ties to the Russian regime, but the campaign claims it was not in contact with Russian officials during the election. A senior Russian foreign policy official, however, says top campaign aides were in contact with Russian officials.

    For his part, Trump has claimed repeatedly no evidence exists pointing to who was behind the hacking.

    But Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper shut down Trump’s claims in a message to CIA Director John Brennan. Clapper dispelled Fox News and right-wing propaganda site reports that FBI Director James Comey had not signed off on the CIA’s findings.

    “Earlier this week, I met separately with FBI James Comey and DNI Jim Clapper, and there is strong consensus among us on the scope, nature, and intent of Russian interference in our presidential election,” Brennan said in a message relayed to CIA workers.

    Obama has the power to appoint a special prosecutor before he leaves office to independently investigate Russia's ties to the Trump campaign.

    "The full extent of these ties could be explosive, but we will never learn the truth if the investigation is left to a few hearings by a Republican Congress," the Web site claims.

    Obama has ordered a full intelligence evaluation of Russia's involvement in the campaign and has asked for a report before he leaves office. He could use its findings to justify making the appointment.

    A special prosecutor would be able to act independently, call witnesses and subpoena documents as part of its investigation.

    Trump's repeated denials could be part of an already unfolding cover up. Let us know your thoughts and be sure to follow Money & Power on Twitter for the latest news in this developing story.

    Check out the petition here.