Dems seize on report of effort to fire Mueller to hammer Trump over obstruction claims

Congressional Democrats are seizing on a report that President Trump attempted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller last year to slam Trump for what they say is obstruction of justice.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Trump attempted to fire Mueller last June, but backed off after White House counsel Don McGahn refused Trump’s order and threatened to quit.

Trump reportedly said Mueller had conflicts of interest in his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, including a dispute over fees at Trump’s National Golf Club in Virginia and Mueller’s previous employment at a law firm that represents Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to the Times.

{mosads}

Democratic lawmakers took to Twitter to react to the report and warn against any effort to obstruct justice.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) said the report “underscored the important of the [special counsel] investigation continuing without interference,” adding that Trump firing Mueller would be an impeachable offense.

It would be an impeachable offense for President Trump to fire Special Counsel Mueller. The fact that the President was only stopped by White House Counsel Don McGahn underscores the importance of the investigation continuing without interference. https://t.co/89cPEdYEzg

— Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) January 25, 2018

As a former Special Assistant Attorney General in Illinois’ anti-corruption unit, there’s a detail I want to point out on the President’s attempted firing of Mueller: you don’t have to succeed to obstruct justice. Just “endeavoring” to do it is a crime.https://t.co/89cPEdYEzg

— Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) January 25, 2018

Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) slammed Trump, saying it “seems like Trump tried to obstruct the investigation into whether he obstructed justice” while Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said the report “does not sound like the behavior of an innocent man.” 

Sure seems like President @realDonaldTrump tried to obstruct the investigation into whether he obstructed justice. https://t.co/85JWolmyN6

— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) January 25, 2018

To state what is obvious, this does not sound like the behavior of an innocent man with nothing to hide. https://t.co/w4APAtl08A

— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) January 25, 2018

The Times’s report comes one day after Trump said he would be willing to interview with Mueller. 

Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he is “looking forward” to the opportunity to sit down with Mueller.

“There’s been no collusion whatsoever. There’s no obstruction whatsoever, and I’m looking forward to it,” Trump said.

Trump also mocked critics who have accused him of obstructing the Russia probe by attacking the investigations and referring to them as a “witch hunt.”

“You fight back, oh, it’s obstruction,” Trump mockingly told reporters.