Leading Democrats warned President Donald Trump that firing top Justice Department official Rod Rosenstein would trigger a ‘constitutional crisis.’
The Democrats provided the warning after Trump declined to express confidence the the veteran official overseeing special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s probe.
Trump got asked about Rosenstein Friday after the release of an explosive GOP memo drafted by House Intelligence Committee Republicans.
Asked if he still had confidence Rosenstein, the deputy attorney genearl, Trump – who has gone after Rosenstein publicly before – responded: ‘You figure that one out.’
He frowned when he made the Oval Office statement about Rosenstein.
President Donald Trump declined to say if he had confidence in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who overseas the Mueller probe. ‘You figure that one out,’ he said
Despite Trump’s comments, two White House officials told the Associated Press there was no consideration or expectation for Rosenstein to leave his job.
Trump’s refusal to express confidence in Rosenstein prompted an immediate response from Democrats, including House minority leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Charles Schumer, who wrote him about it.
Also signing on were the top Democrats on the two Intelligence committees, Rep. Adam Schiff from the House and Sen. Mark Warner from the Senate.
‘We write to inform you that we would consider such an unwarranted act as an attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation,’ the lawmakers wrote.
‘Firing Rod Rosenstein, DOJ Leadership or Bob Mueller could result in a constitutional crisis of a kind not seen since the Saturday Night Massacre,’ the Democrats wrote.
President Donald Trump called the revelations in a GOP memo a ‘disgrace’
CURRENTLY EMPLOYED: Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein participates in a chat about the state of the internet, hosted by The Internet Society, on January 29, 2018 in Washington, DC
Mueller continues to probe Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The letter followed the release of a GOP Intelligence panel memo that they called a ‘transparent attempt to discredit the hard-working men and women of law enforcement who are investigating Russia’s interference with our Presidential election and that nation’s ties to your campaign.’
They wrote: ‘We are alarmed by reports that you may intend to use this misleading document as a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in an effort to corruptly influence or impede Special Counsel Bob Mueller’s investigation.’
The lawmakers, led by Pelosi and Senate minority leader Charles Schumer, add: ‘We write to inform you that we would consider such an unwarranted action as an attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation. Firing Rod Rosenstein, DOJ Leadership, or Bob Mueller could result in a constitutional crisis of the kind not seen since the Saturday Night Massacre,’ they wrote.
I PLEDGE ALLIGIANCE … United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions (L) and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein stand for the pledge of allegiance at a summit about combating human trafficking at the Department of Justice in Washington, U.S., February 2, 2018
Also signing the letter were House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff of California and Senate Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mark Warner of Virginia.
The were jointed by House minority whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, caucus chair Joe Crowley of New York, and Judiciary ranking member Jerry Nadler of New York, along with Senate Judiciary Committee ranking Member Dianne Feinstein of California and Senate Democratic whip Richard Durbin of Illinois.
Schiff called the memo ‘misleading’ and said it ‘cherry picked’ information to ‘help support the president’ and ‘discredit the Mueller investigation’ into Russian election interference, appearing on CNN.