President Trump tweeted a series of attacks packed with lies on Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his Russia investigation Thursday morning, seemingly out of nowhere.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) has a theory as to why Trump is lashing out again now.
"This tweet by @realDonaldTrump leads me to think that more indictments are coming soon," Lieu wrote in response. "Also, it would be highly inappropriate for Trump to be told of any inner workings of the Special Counsel probe when he and his friends & family are under investigation."
The president returned on Sunday from a trip to Paris and faced criticism at home for his decision to skip a solemn visit to an American cemetery in France, part of events to mark 100 years since the end of World War I.
When he was back at the White House, Mr. Trump met with his personal lawyers in private meetings and worked to draft answers to questions posed by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III ...
For months, the president’s legal team and aides have pleaded with him to avoid writing Twitter posts about Mr. Mueller. The president has long complained privately about what he believes to be Mr. Mueller’s conflicts of interest, despite a Justice Department review and conclusion last year that Mr. Mueller had none ...
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Mr. Trump’s attorneys have blanched at the idea of the president sitting down and being interviewed by Mr. Mueller and his team out of concern that the president might make a false statement. Lying to federal investigators is a felony that could carry up to five years in prison.
Mr. Trump’s comments on Thursday renewed concerns on Capitol Hill that the president could move to fire Mr. Mueller and end his investigation.
Several lawmakers are pushing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow a vote on bipartisan legislation designed to protect the special counsel, with Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) leading the charge.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said on Thursday that a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from getting fired should get a vote on the Senate floor.
“It’s legitimate that the bill be brought up,” he said. “It would satisfy me if it became law because I voted for it.”
The Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act passed out of the Judiciary Committee in April with a 14-7 vote.
Grassley, who voted for the legislation when it passed out of the Judiciary Committee, made his comments after he had to hold over judicial nominees at a committee business meeting because of opposition from Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.).
Flake says he will block judicial nominees from coming to the floor until the special counsel protection bill gets a vote on the Senate floor.
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“I’m not going to be in forefront with Flake advocating that the leader do so and so, but I wouldn’t do anything to stop it,” [Grassley] said. “Usually, a chairman of a committee if he doesn’t want a bill brought up can … object to unanimous consent.”
Flake on Thursday said the legislation would pass if it came to the floor.
“There are some who are not on the committee who will vote for this,” he said of Senate GOP colleagues. “It will pass on the floor.”
He said McConnell doesn’t want to bring it to the floor because he’s worried about angering President Trump.
Mueller Team Has ‘Gone Absolutely Nuts,’ Trump Says, Resuming Attacks on Russia Inquiry (NYT)
Dem rep: Trump tweet ‘leads me to think that more indictments are coming soon’ (The Hill)
Grassley: Mueller protection bill should get a vote (The Hill)