Gingrich calls Mueller investigation ‘breakdown’ of constitutional law

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) ripped the office of special counsel Robert Mueller in an interview on Sunday, calling the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia a “breakdown” of the U.S. Constitution.

In an interview with AM 970 in New York, the staunch supporter of President Trump pointed to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email investigation as evidence of a double standard that Gingrich said Americans are sick of seeing.

{mosads}

“What’s really striking to me is, you have Hillary Clinton erase 33,000 emails. You have her staff deeply involved. Do any of them get visited at 3 in the morning? Do any of them lose their lawyer-client privilege? No. It is so one-sided,” Gingrich said, referring to the FBI’s recent raid on the offices of Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, who is the subject of a criminal probe.

“This is why we have a Bill of Rights,” Gingrich added. “I think what we’re watching is a breakdown of the whole concept of constitutional rule of law. I think it’s really very sobering, and a real threat to every American.“

Trump and his allies have claimed that Monday’s raid on Cohen’s offices violated attorney-client privilege despite Justice Department regulations stating that an attorney’s offices can be searched if the attorney is under suspicion of crimes.

Cohen is under investigation for possible bank fraud and campaign finance law violations. He has not been charged with any crimes yet, and has denied the accusations against him.

Gingrich, however, says the Justice Department is guilty of wrongdoing and that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who authorized the raid on Cohen’s offices, is trying to cover up for the agency.

“The person to focus on is Rod Rosenstein and why is he blocking all the stuff?” Gingrich asked. “I think Rosenstein, who is a career Justice Department guy, I think he’s trying to protect the department from huge embarrassment.”

“They’re going to come out. People are not going to let them hide,” he added.