Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee spoke out Thursday to warn President Trump not to try to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller during the upcoming two-week congressional recess.
“Do not meddle with the special counsel’s investigation,” cautioned Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), the top Democrat on the committee.
The press conference comes amid speculation that Trump will carry out a “Saturday night massacre” during the upcoming congressional recess, when lawmakers are in their home districts and less prepared to respond to a possible ouster, according to Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.).
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[Rep. Jamie] Raskin (D-MD) as well as other Democratic members, raised concerns Trump may seek to fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing the Russia investigation since Sessions recused himself last spring.
The members speculate that the president may seek to replace the top two Justice Department officials with lackeys, who can then either seek to fire Mueller or curb his ability to run the high-profile investigation.
The Democrats called on their Republican colleagues to join them in protecting the special counsel, claiming many of their GOP colleagues — particularly Republican leadership — have remained relatively mum about Mueller’s safety.
“This should not be partisan. It should in fact be non-partisan,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).
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Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.), a vocal critic of the Trump administration, advocated for the committee to pursue impeachment hearings if Trump does seek to end the investigation.
Nadler, who declined to explicitly say whether he would support such a move, maintained “all options will remain on the table.”
Full Story: Judiciary Dems warn Trump: Don't fire Mueller, Sessions during House recess (The Hill)