California Senator Dianne Feinstein has raised concerns that President Donald Trump will try to dismiss Rod Rosenstein and Robert Mueller, two officials involved in an ongoing probe into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
“I’m growing increasingly concerned that the president will attempt to fire not only Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating possible obstruction of justice, but also Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein who appointed Mueller,” the Democratic senator, who is also a member of the Senate Intelligence committee, said in a statement.
Rosenstein authored a letter detailing why FBI director James Comey should be fired on May 9, and announced the selection of former FBI director Mueller to serve as special counsel and head up the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia on May 17.
President Trump seemed to confirm reports he was under investigation Friday with a tweet, saying he was facing scrutiny for firing James Comey by the man who urged him to dismiss the former FBI director.
“The message the president is sending through his tweets is that he believes the rule of law doesn’t apply to him and that anyone who thinks otherwise will be fired,” Feinstein said in her statement. “That’s undemocratic on its face and a blatant violation of the president’s oath of office.”
Special counsel Mueller can only be dismissed by Rosenstein, Feinstein asserted in her statement, something he has testified under oath he would not do “without good cause.”
“It’s becoming clear to me that the president has embarked on an effort to undermine anyone with the ability to bring any misdeeds to light, be that Congress, the media or the Justice Department,” she said. “We’re a nation of laws that apply equally to everyone, a lesson the president would be wise to learn.”
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