Robert Mueller once started a new job by asking every supervisor in the office to resign

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Robert Mueller once started a new job by asking every supervisor in the office to resign

robert mueller

Yuri Gripas / Reuters

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  • The special counsel Robert Mueller once started a new job by giving many of his employees a rude awakening.
  • After being appointed the US Attorney for the Northern District of California in 1998, Mueller asked every supervisor in the office to resign, according to a profile from The New York Times published on Saturday.
  • Mueller's decision was reportedly rooted in a management philosophy he learned as a Marine platoon commander during the Vietnam War: It's impossible to get people to perform beyond their capabilities.
  • Instead of nagging the office's existing employees to do better, Mueller chose to hire the best employees he could find, despite the risks involved with creating instability shortly into his tenure.


The special counsel Robert Mueller once started a new job by giving many of his employees a rude awakening.

In 1998, Mueller was appointed the US Attorney for the Northern District of California. Near the beginning of his tenure, he asked every supervisor in the office to resign, according to a profile from The New York Times published on Saturday. Mueller then reportedly sent an email to everyone in the Justice Department with listings for each major prosecution job in his district.

Mueller's decision reportedly bothered many of his employees, but according to The Times, it was rooted in a management philosophy Mueller learned as a Marine platoon commander during the Vietnam War: It's impossible to get people to perform beyond their capabilities.

Instead of nagging the office's existing employees to do better, Mueller chose to hire the best employees he could find, despite the risks involved with creating instability shortly into his tenure.

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Mueller is currently leading an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, and his previous managerial style may give some insight into the team of prosecutors he has put together to assist him.

Mueller has assembled a formidable team of experienced litigators and investigators, some of whom have drawn the ire of President Donald Trump and his allies due to their previous campaign donations to Democrats.

Trump occasionally tweets about the team, referring to them as "13 angry Democrats," though some have also donated to Republicans.

So far, the investigation has led to charges against four Americans who were once associated with President Donald Trump's campaign or administration, including Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, who was found guilty on eight federal counts of bank and tax fraud on Tuesday.

Russian nationals, intelligence officers, and companies have also been indicted by Mueller's team.

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