BY JADEN MOUNT
President Donald Trump has taken to his personal twitter account to attack Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Department of Justice’s Russian Collusion investigation.
Sessions removed himself from the DOJ’s investigation, testifying on Tuesday, June 12, 2017, that a department rule prohibits his involvement. He officially recused himself from the investigation on March 2, 2017. At the time, Democrats called for his resignation whilst Republicans supported recusal.
The rule, 28 CFR 45.2, states employees of the DOJ may not “participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation or prosecution, or who would be directly affected by the outcome.”
Since his recusal, tensions between the president and attorney general, who showed enormous support for each other on the campaign trail, have been far from comfortable. Tensions flared again today as South Carolina Republican Representative Trey Gowdy, leader of the House’s Government Oversight Committee, said Trump’s frustration was justified.
From 7:46 to 7:47 am, Wednesday, May 30, 2018, the president made this series of tweets:
Where Gowdy showed understanding for the president’s frustration, he did not support claims that a “spy” was inserted into Trump’s campaign.
Sessions’ recusal paved the path for former FBI Director Robert Mueller to take charge of the investigation. The appointment of Mueller has only worsened the situation in Trump’s view as he has called the investigation a “witch hunt.”
Members on both sides of the political spectrum have shown support for Mueller’s investigation. The support has come in varying degrees, but it is support nonetheless.
Democrats are no stranger to whose side they have taken. Those in the House have even proposed legislation to protect the former FBI Director.
New York Representative Jerrold Nadler said in relation to the lack of House Republicans on the matter, “Unfortunately, it seems Republican leadership in the House lacks the spine to take a stand against President Trump’s abuse of power or defend our country from the constitutional crisis we would face if Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation were terminated or interfered with in any way.
On the GOP side, the most visible supporter has been Senator John McCain of Arizona, who praised Mueller in a tweet on March 18, 2018.
Kansas Senator Jerry Moran has also said, according to Politico, he would support legislation to protect the investigation.
And that same support has kept the president and unsupportive Republicans from attempting to remove the former FBI Director.
Whether Mueller will bring charges against additional individuals involved in Trump’s campaign, or even Trump himself, is still yet to be seen. One thing we can agree with is that the investigation is nearing a close and the trials are soon to begin.