House Democrats on Wednesday questioned Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ sudden departure from the Trump administration, which left some openly wondering whether President Trump is trying to disrupt special counsel Robert Mueller.
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who will likely be House Speaker come January, accused Trump of making a blatant move to throw off Mueller’s investigation into Trump’s alleged ties to Russia.
“It is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions’ firing as anything other than another blatant attempt by @realDonaldTrump to undermine & end Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation,” Pelosi tweeted. She also said Matthew Whitaker, now acting attorney general, should recuse himself from Mueller’s investigation.
[Opinion: Jeff Sessions never deserved to be treated this way]
Given his record of threats to undermine & weaken the Russia investigation, Matthew Whitaker should recuse himself from any involvement in Mueller’s investigation. Congress must take immediate action to protect the rule of law and integrity of the investigation. #FollowTheFacts
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) November 7, 2018
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who is poised to become the next chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the panel would be “holding people accountable” soon after a resignation was announced.
“Americans must have answers immediately as to the reasoning behind @realDonaldTrump removing Jeff Sessions from @TheJusticeDept,” Nadler tweeted Wednesday afternoon. “Why is the President making this change and who has authority over Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation? We will be holding people accountable.”
Americans must have answers immediately as to the reasoning behind @realDonaldTrump removing Jeff Sessions from @TheJusticeDept. Why is the President making this change and who has authority over Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation? We will be holding people accountable. https://t.co/weykMuiCxm
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) November 7, 2018
The Judiciary Committee has direct oversight of the Justice Department. Another likely chairman, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., also expressed interest in taking investigatory action, citing conflicting reports on the nature of Sessions’ exit.
“There are many, many reasons to remove Attorney General Sessions — from his failure to disclose his communications with the Russians to his inhumane policy of separating children from their parents at the border — but one reason that is not acceptable is to interfere with or obstruct the Mueller investigation,” said Cummings, who as the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee is positioned to become the chairman in the next Congress. “President Trump waited until just hours after the midterm elections to make this move, which had been rumored for months. Congress must now investigate the real reason for this termination, confirm that Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is recused from all aspects of the Special Counsel’s probe, and ensure that the Department of Justice safeguards the integrity of the Mueller investigation.”
House Intelligence Committee ranking member Adam Schiff, D-Calif., also weighed in on Sessions’ departure.
“President Trump just removed Jeff Sessions. He wants an Attorney General to serve his interest, not the public,” Schiff tweeted. “Mueller’s investigation and the independence of the DOJ must be protected. Whitaker and any nominee must commit to doing both. We will protect the rule of law.
A copy of Sessions’ resignation made the rounds soon after Trump’s tweets about his attorney general’s exit.
Sessions recused himself in March 2017 from the Justice Department’s Russia investigation, paving the way for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to oversee the probe as the acting attorney general of the investigation.
Rosenstein then appointed special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin.
With Whitaker taking the role of acting attorney general, Mueller will be reporting to Whitaker rather than Rosenstein for at least a short period of time.
