Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked the Russia investigation as a hoax and a “witch hunt.” The New York Times reports the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation, which will appear to many as political retaliation by Mr. Trump. The Justice Department is, in essence, investigating itself.

“The opening of a criminal investigation is likely to raise alarms that Mr. Trump is using the Justice Department to go after his perceived enemies. Mr. Trump fired James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director under whose watch agents opened the Russia inquiry, and has long assailed other top former law enforcement and intelligence officials as partisans who sought to block his election.“

Up until now, the matter has been a criminal inquiry. By turning it into a full-fledged investigation, the Justice Department can, according to the Times, “subpoena for witness testimony and documents, … impanel a grand jury and to file criminal charges.

The prosecutor who has been running the investigation is John Durham, a U.S. Attorney from Connecticut.