Top Democrats are outraged over President Trump’s recent tweet calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, saying it amounted to “obstruction of justice.”
“This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further,” Trump said Wednesday. “Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!”
..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) as well as top House Democrats all agreed it crossed the line.
“As a former prosecutor, I call this obstruction of justice,” Udall tweeted Wednesday. “No one is above the law — not even the president. People in New Mexico and across the country are tired of ultra-rich and powerful people like Donald Trump trying to abuse their power to protect themselves.”
As a former prosecutor, I call this obstruction of justice. No one is above the law—not even the president. People in New Mexico and across the country are tired of ultra-rich and powerful people like Donald Trump trying to abuse their power to protect themselves. https://t.co/J9gemadgRr
— Tom Udall (@SenatorTomUdall) August 1, 2018
Blumenthal said it was either evidence of obstruction or evidence of intent.
“If it isn’t obstruction of justice itself, it is evidence of intent to obstruct justice," Blumenthal told NBC News. "These kinds of threats are no accident, they reflect a state of mind to obstruct justice. The threats and bullying from the President of the United States against a law enforcement officer constitute evidence of obstruction of justice."
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) also said the tweet was obstruction of justice “hiding in plain sight.”
“The President of the United States just called on his Attorney General to put an end to an investigation in which the President, his family and campaign may be implicated,” the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee tweeted. “This is an attempt to obstruct justice hiding in plain sight. America must never accept it.”
The President of the United States just called on his Attorney General to put an end to an investigation in which the President, his family and campaign may be implicated.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 1, 2018
This is an attempt to obstruct justice hiding in plain sight. America must never accept it. https://t.co/F8b6a0IGOh
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), meanwhile, issued a threat to Trump about what would happen if he fires Mueller.
“Fire Mueller and we fire you,” he tweeted.
Fire Mueller and we fire you. https://t.co/MLHrJDFwKu
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) August 1, 2018
The White House as well as Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani sought to downplay the tweet, arguing that it was merely the president's opinion and nothing more.
“It's an opinion. And he used a medium that he uses for opinions: Twitter,” Giuliani said. “He used the word ‘should.’ He didn't use the word ‘must.’ And there was no presidential directive that followed.”
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said much the same.
“It’s not an order, it’s the president’s opinion,” she said. “The president has watched this process play out, but also wants to see this come to an end.”