The scandal at the FBI is growing by the day as we learn more about deleted text messages, potential meddling in the 2016 presidential election and politically biased corruption from senior agents.
GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill claim to have a "jaw-dropping," classified memo with details about the bureau abusing its power. Democrats say it's being overblown.
But as Republicans and Democrats battle out the issue on political grounds, a significant number of Americans, including Democrats, want a special counsel to investigate. From Rasmussen:
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters believe a special prosecutor should be named to investigate whether senior FBI officials handled the investigation of Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump in a legal and unbiased fashion. Thirty-one percent (31%) disagree, but a sizable 19% are not sure.
Sixty-two percent (62%) of Republicans are calling for an outside prosecutor to investigate the FBI, as is a plurality (49%) of voters not affiliated with either major political party. Among Democrats, 38% favor a special prosecutor; 40% are opposed, but 22% are undecided.
A number of Republican lawmakers, including Congressman Jim Jordan, have repeatedly called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to appoint a new Special Counsel in order to clean up the FBI. So far, DOJ hasn't moved. FBI Director Christopher Wray, who recently testified in front of Congress on a variety of subjects, said he is waiting for a Inspector General investigation to be completed before taking or announcing next steps.