Dem chairman: Trump the ‘greatest threat’ to US democracy ‘since the Civil War’

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) in an interview airing Sunday called President Trump the “greatest threat” to U.S. democracy since “the Civil War.”

“I view this president and his conduct as the greatest threat to the democratic system and to the constitutional government since the Civil War,” Nadler said in an interview with radio host John Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York. “Whether it’s threatening the newspapers or threatening the judiciary or calling people who criticize him treasonous.”

{mosads}Nadler, one of the Democratic chairmen set to probe various aspects of the Trump administration, said the House will soon be holding hearings including into “abuses of power” and “obstruction of justice.”

“Clearly … there have been major abuses of power, major obstruction of justice, obvious violations of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution,” he said. “All of these have to be looked at.”

He noted that the hearings would be focused on any actions conducted in a “noncriminal manner,” whether norms were violated and whether there have been threats to the democratic system. 

Nadler also said Democrats would seek to push legislation mandating that special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report be made public. Mueller is investigating whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election, including whether there was collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. 

As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Nadler would also oversee any impeachment investigation should Democrats pursue such a course of action.