Senate confirms Rod Rosenstein as deputy AG; will lead Russia probe

Rod Rosenstein, nominee to be Deputy Attorney General, arrives to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington March 7, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein - RTS11TPM

WASHINGTON – The Senate has confirmed Rod Rosenstein as deputy attorney general, putting the longtime federal prosecutor in place to oversee a federal investigation into Russian influence in the U.S. elections.

The vote was 94-6 on Tuesday.

As the Justice Department's No. 2 official, Rosenstein is expected to head the investigation after the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who said he would step aside from any probes into the Trump campaign after revelations of unreported contacts with the Russian ambassador last year.

The deputy attorney general is responsible for day-to-day operations and oversight of the Justice Department's law enforcement agencies such as the FBI.

Rosenstein was appointed by President George W. Bush as U.S. attorney for Maryland in 2005 and then served for the duration of President Barack Obama's tenure.