McConnell: Dems have ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ amid Barr fight

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday lashed out at Democrats for criticizing Attorney General William Barr, saying they are suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.”

Reacting to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) comment that Barr “lied to Congress,” McConnell told Fox News’s “The Story” that it’s an “outrageous assertion.”

{mosads}”To call a public servant like the attorney general a liar is completely over the top. These people are somewhat suffering from Trump derangement syndrome,” McConnell said.

The House Judiciary Committee is set to vote Wednesday to hold Barr in contempt for failing to respond to a subpoena for special counsel Robert Mueller’s full report and investigative files. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are clamoring for the Justice Department inspector general to open up a probe into Barr’s handling of the Mueller report. 

The interview comes as McConnell is leaning heavily into his argument that the country should “move on” from Mueller’s two-year probe into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign. 

The GOP leader gave a speech on Tuesday morning summarizing the investigation as “case closed.” He also characterized Democrats as “grieving” because of Mueller’s findings and urged them to “come back to reality.”

McConnell added during the Fox News interview that it was time to “put it to rest.”

“Mueller spent two years on this. … What else do we need to know? It’s time to move on,” McConnell said.

Democrats have blasted McConnell over his rhetoric. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), speaking to reporters during a weekly press conference, called the GOP leader’s speech a “disgrace.”

“He should be ashamed of himself with that speech,” Schumer added.