Robert Mueller: 7 Things You Need To Know

Robert Mueller was appointed Wednesday as the special counsel to investigate all things connected to allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

So, who is Mueller? Here are seven things that you need to know.

1. He spent 12 years as the director of the FBI

Mueller was appointed in 2001 — just one week before the attacks of September 11 — by President George W. Bush and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate. He was respected enough that when President Obama took office, he kept Mueller for another 12 years. FBI directors are appointed to 10-year terms. Mueller served 12. He was the longest-serving director after J. Edgar Hoover.

2. Before Becoming FBI director, Mueller spent 12 years working in the United States Attorney's Office in San Francisco and Massachusetts

Mueller is one of few people to actually serve as the United States attorney for two different districts. He was the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California, based in San Francisco, and the acting United States attorney for Massachusetts.

3. He was a special assistant to Attorney General Dick Thornburgh

After one year, though, Thornburgh put him in charge of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division. There he oversaw the department's many high-profile prosecutions, including those of Panamian leader Manuel Noriega and mob boss John Gotti.

4. He is a veteran

Mueller spent three years in the Marines, leading a rifle platoon during the Vietnam War. He received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

5. As FBI Director, he threatened to resign

Along with then-Deputy Attorney General Jim Comey, Mueller believed that the warrantless wiretapping program was unconstitutional. The White House ended up making changes to satisfy them.

6. He oversaw the settlement of lawsuits against Volkswagen

At the time, the judge overseeing the case said he was turning to Mueller to "use his considerable experience and judgment to facilitate settlement discussions among the various parties in these complex matters."

7. He is very well respected

In fact, CNN's Jeffrey Toobin referred to him as "the most respected law enforcement" person in the country.

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