Trump’s Tirades & Whitaker’s Bias
FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | November 15, 2018
“President Trump’s continuing irresponsible attacks against the Mueller investigation show the importance of the work that is being done by the many organizations in our coalition to protect the investigation. “
This morning, President Trump tweeted allegations against the Mueller investigation that can only be described as crazy.
The President claimed the investigation has “gone absolutely nuts. They are screaming and shouting at people, horribly threatening them to come up with the answers they want.”
Unhinged, undocumented attacks like Trump’s latest tirade are why our national coalition to protect the Mueller investigation has expressed great concerns about President Trump’s appointment of Matthew Whitaker to serve as Acting Attorney General with responsibility to oversee the investigation.
Whitaker attacked the investigation on numerous occasions as a private citizen, going so far as to identify with the position that the Mueller investigation is a “lynch mob.”
Whitaker has shown himself to be biased and hostile to the investigation and unfit to supervise it.
Whitaker’s appointment led our coalition to conduct immediate nationwide protests last week calling for Whitaker’s recusal and Mueller’s protection. It is also why a letter from 29 organizations and ethics experts organized by Democracy 21 was sent to Members of Congress yesterday calling on them to act to help ensure Whitaker’s removal and Mueller’s protection.
Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Chris Coons (D-DE) tried to bring a bipartisan bill to protect Mueller to the Senate floor for a vote yesterday but were blocked by Senate Majority Leader McConnell who continues to use his position to protect President Trump.
The effort to pass the legislation in the Senate will continue and the bill will undoubtedly be considered early next year by the House, newly controlled by Democrats.
President Trump’s continuing irresponsible attacks against the Mueller investigation show the importance of the work that is being done by the many organizations in our coalition to protect the investigation.
With Democrats in control of the House next year, we will have a powerful new ally working to protect the Mueller investigation against any interference.
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Fred Wertheimer is the Founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to strengthen our democracy and ensure the integrity and fairness of government decisions and elections. See previous Notes from Fred here.
