Gun found inside Joseph Hammond’s backpack, via federal court records.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

A 33-year-old man with a child is accused of pointing a handgun at the face of an ATF agent in Englewood, Ill., just after midnight Wednesday morning, federal prosecutors said.

Agents approached Joseph Hammond following a 911 call about a man shooting a gun while carrying a baby, The Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Hammond allegedly pointed a handgun with an extended magazine at the agent’s face before saying, “Keep moving.”

Hammond then picked up the child and fled on foot. Agents found him about 45 minutes later while he was carrying the toddler and a backpack.

Agents found an extended magazine and pistol grip inside his backpack, authorities said.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testifying before a House committee in December 2017.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Wednesday defended his decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate Russia’s election meddling, but blamed top-level FBI officials for “significant errors.”

“I still believe it was the right decision under the circumstances,” Mr. Rosenstein told the Senate Judiciary Committee about appointing Robert S. Mueller III as special counsel, The New York Times reports. “I recognize that people can criticize me for them. That’s the consequence of being in these jobs — you make decisions and people criticize you for them — but I believed it was the right decision at the time.”

Rosenstein, however, said he signed applications to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page based on erroneous information and omissions.

The Republican-led committee is ramping up its investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.