Democratic leadership on Friday issued a warning to President Trump that using a controversial GOP memo to fire special counsel Robert Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would create a “constitutional crisis” not seen since the Nixon administration.
“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, [Department of Justice] Leadership, or Bob Mueller could result in a constitutional crisis of the kind not seen since the Saturday Night Massacre,” Democrats wrote in the letter to Trump.
In addition to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the second- and third-ranking members of Democratic leadership in both chambers, as well as top Democrats on the Intelligence and Judiciary committees in both chambers signed the letter.
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The House Intelligence Committee on Friday released a previously classified memo accusing senior officials at the Department of Justice of inappropriately using a piece of opposition research into then-candidate Trump to obtain surveillance warrants on transition team members as part of the federal investigation into the Trump campaign and Russia.
The release came roughly an hour after the White House said Trump signed off on the memo’s release without redactions despite fierce objection from the FBI, which argued it contained “material omissions.”
Democrats argue the memo is meant to undercut Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 election and potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign by using “cherry-picked” facts that lack context.
“The decision to release a partisan and misleading memo … was 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,” Democratic leadership said in the letter to Trump.
They added that they 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 memo has sparked a wave of speculation that Trump could try to use it as a basis for firing Mueller or Rosenstein, a Trump-appointed official who named Mueller to be special counsel after the president fired then-FBI Director James Comey in May.
The White House and its allies have downplayed reports that Trump could fire Mueller, though The New York Times reported late last week that he wanted to fire him in June but backed off after White House counsel Donald McGahn threatened to quit.
Trump declined to say on Friday if he had confidence in Rosenstein, telling reporters: “You figure that one out.”