Poll: Voters support naming of special counsel for Russia probe

A majority of voters in a new survey agrees with the naming of a special counsel to investigate the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

A Politico/Morning Consult poll finds 63 percent of voters “strongly” or “somewhat” agree with the Justice Department’s decision to appoint a special counsel for the Russia probe.

Just 21 percent disagree with the naming of a special counsel.

{mosads}The numbers are even higher among Democrats, with 80 percent of Democratic voters saying they are in support of the decision.

Half of Republicans agree with the decision to name a special counsel, in addition to 58 percent of independents.

The poll also finds that 38 percent of voters want Congress to start the process of removing President Trump from office. But 46 percent don’t want Congress to start the process of impeachment hearings and another 16 percent of voters have no opinion on the issue.

A majority, 68 percent, of Democratic voters wants Congress to start impeachment proceedings.

According to the poll, 56 percent of voters say that Trump’s reported sharing of classified intelligence with Russian officials is “inappropriate.” Just 19 percent say it was appropriate.

The poll was conducted from May 18 to 22 among 1,938 registered voters. The margin of error is 2 percent.

The Justice Department last week named former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russia’s involvement in the U.S. election. 

Trump later decried the naming of a special counsel, calling it a “witch hunt” and saying it “hurts the country.”