I think Byrne and others were tricked. If Trump tells Powell she's a special counsel and has the necessary clearance, according to Cipollone (a hostile witness) what Trump says goes. The fact that she and others dissembled afterward, claiming she couldn't get White House access etc., appears to be the misdirection, as I don't know that anyone has ever denied that she is SC. Further, she then released a notable public report within the time required for the Special Counsel report based on the DNI investigation into election fraud. So I suspect the executive order was followed out exactly but we weren't being told exactly how as it went along. I'm hopeful to see more from Powell!
I think Byrne and others were tricked. If Trump tells Powell she's a special counsel and has the necessary clearance, according to Cipollone (a hostile witness) what Trump says goes. The fact that she and others dissembled afterward, claiming she couldn't get White House access etc., appears to be the misdirection, as I don't know that anyone has ever denied that she is SC. Further, she then released a notable public report within the time required for the Special Counsel report based on the DNI investigation into election fraud. So I suspect the executive order was followed out exactly but we weren't being told exactly how as it went along. I'm hopeful to see more from Powell!
There is zero reason she needs an office in the WH to be special counsel.
I am confident she already knew the materials she wanted and the witnesses to be subpoenaed.