Perez: Confident DNC will get a jury trial in election lawsuit

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez said on Sunday that he is confident the committee will get a jury trial in its lawsuit against the Trump campaign, Russia and WikiLeaks over alleged election interference. 

“I’m confident we will get a jury trial,” Perez told NBC’s Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press.” 

{mosads}”I want to make sure we send a very clear signal,” he said. “This was an assault on our democracy and we have to protect that.” 

“I’m punching back not only for my colleagues, I’m punching back for democracy,” he continued.

Perez’s comments come after the DNC announced last week it was suing Russia, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks over alleged election meddling by Russia, saying the three actors worked to help President Trump win the 2016 election. 

The complaint was filed in a federal district court in Manhattan. 

The lawsuit identifies as defendants various Trump campaign aides who met with Russian nationals during the campaign, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump campaign adviser Richard Gates, both of whom have since been charged in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling.

Gates is cooperating with the special counsel while Manafort is battling the charges against him in court.

Trump pushed back against the lawsuit in a tweet on Friday. 

“Just heard the Campaign was sued by the Obstructionist Democrats. This can be good news in that we will now counter for the DNC Server that they refused to give to the FBI, the [former DNC chairwoman] Debbie Wasserman Schultz Servers and Documents held by the Pakistani mystery man and Clinton Emails,” he tweeted.

Just heard the Campaign was sued by the Obstructionist Democrats. This can be good news in that we will now counter for the DNC Server that they refused to give to the FBI, the Debbie Wasserman Schultz Servers and Documents held by the Pakistani mystery man and Clinton Emails.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2018

Perez told ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday that he was not worried by Trump’s tweet. 

“You know the beauty of the civil justice system, which is why I believe in it, George, is it’s not trial by tweet. This isn’t going to be a kangaroo court with [House Intelligence Committee Chairman] Devin Nunes [R-Calif.], this is going to be an Article III court, where facts matter and justice is served,” Perez said. 

“What Donald Trump said was very similar to what the Nixon administration said in 1972 when the DNC served them with a lawsuit then,” he added. “So, they’re in good company with the Nixon administration.” 

— Updated 10:21 a.m.