Holder slams Trump’s comments on Justice Department

Former Attorney General Eric Holder ripped President Trump for saying that he has the “absolute right” to do what he wants with the Department of Justice, calling the comments “wrong” and “dangerous.”

“Wrong/dangerous. Trump doesn’t have absolute rights with DOJ. But women and men there have ABSOLUTE duty to follow Constitution and rule of law — not a man. Career DOJ people have ABSOLUTE right to defy illegal orders. And they will. I know them,” Holder wrote in a tweet on Friday. 

Wrong/dangerous. Trump doesn’t have absolute rights with DOJ. But women and men there have ABSOLUTE duty to follow Constitution and rule of law – not a man. Career DOJ people have ABSOLUTE right to defy illegal orders. And they will. I know them.

— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) December 29, 2017

The comments from President Obama’s former attorney general come after Trump told The New York Times on Thursday that he could do what he wanted with the department after he was asked if he would reopen the probe into former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s email server during her tenure as secretary of State. 

{mosads}”I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department. But for purposes of hopefully thinking I’m going to be treated fairly, I’ve stayed uninvolved with this particular matter,” the president told the publication. 

Trump told the newspaper it was “too bad” that his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, recused himself from the Russia investigation, and said he had great respect for Holder protecting Obama while he was attorney general. 

“I don’t want to get into loyalty, but I will tell you that, I will say this: Holder protected President Obama. Totally protected him,” Trump said. 

“When you look at the things that they did, and Holder protected the president. And I have great respect for that, I’ll be honest.”