The executive branch
special counsel
A prosecutor appointed to handle a matter where the Justice Department has a conflict. Independent day to day, but still removable by the Attorney General.
In full
The independent counsel statute expired in 1999; today special counsels are appointed under DOJ regulation. The regulation gives day-to-day independence and requires a written explanation before the Attorney General may overrule a decision, but the appointment, the budget, and the removal all remain inside the department. A confidential report goes to the Attorney General, who decides what the public sees.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.