Definition of the word special prosecutor

The term "special prosecutor" emerged during the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, when it became apparent that the Department of Justice (DOJ) may have been compromised in its investigation into the Nixon administration's involvement in the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. To ensure the integrity and independence of the probe, President Richard Nixon signed an executive order creating a Special Prosecutor for Watergate, also known as the Watergate Special Prosecution Force (WSPF). It was appointed by an independent panel consisting of the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Attorney General, and the Deputy Attorney General. The special prosecutor's role is to investigate and prosecute criminal violations that fall outside the scope of routine DOJ cases, and to provide impartiality and objectivity in conducting such investigations. The use of special prosecutors has become a legal mechanism to address perceived conflicts of interest and to ensure that high-profile investigations into public officials are handled in a non-partisan and professional manner. The role of the special prosecutor is defined by federal law and generally operates under the authority of the Attorney General. The term "special prosecutor" is also sometimes used interchangeably with "independent counsel," which refers to a different legal mechanism established by the independent counsel law passed by Congress in the 1970s but repealed soon after. The most recent example of the use of a special prosecutor is Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election and alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.