Trump Impeachment: Robert Mueller’s Firing Would Immediately Launch Impeachment Process, Democrats Warn
Donald Trump could face an immediate impeachment process if he were to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, Democrats have warned as rumors intensify that Trump wants to bring an end to the Russia investigation.
Mueller was selected by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to lead the investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties with Russia, with the move coming after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. Although the White House initially claimed that Comey’s firing was the result of his mishandling of Hillary Clinton’s email investigation, Trump himself later said he was thinking about the Russia investigation when he fired Comey.
There have now been growing rumors that Trump may be seeking to fire Robert Mueller, especially with Trump taking to Twitter to convey his frustration with the investigation.
On Friday, Trump tweeted that he is “being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt.” Some Democrats have equated Comey’s firing and what they see as veiled threats about firing Mueller as obstruction of justice from Trump.
Donald Trump could not fire Robert Mueller directly, but he could order Rosenstein to fire him. If Rosenstein were to refuse — and the deputy attorney general has said that Mueller could only be fired for good cause and that he was “not going to follow any orders unless I believe those are lawful and appropriate” — Trump could fire Rosenstein and appoint someone else who would fire Mueller, the Hill pointed out.
While there is no hard evidence to the rumors that Donald Trump is planning to fire Robert Mueller, the rumors have Democrats up in arms and already discussing impeaching Trump. Congressman Ted Lieu of California said the House would immediately start the impeachment process if Donald Trump moved to fire Mueller.
“All Americans, regardless of party, agree on the fundamental principle that no one is above the law,” Lieu told MSNBC. “And if President Trump were to fire Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein, and then got special counsel Mueller fired, I believe Congress would begin impeachment proceedings.”
Dem lawmaker: Congress will begin impeachment if Trump fires Mueller, Rosenstein https://t.co/YEWv5VbyLR pic.twitter.com/arQghBkyvS
— The Hill (@thehill) June 17, 2017
But other Democrats have warned against impeaching Donald Trump, including Sen. Al Franken, who said that Mike Pence would be a more disastrous alternative for the Democratic Party.
Impeach Trump and you’d get ‘zealot’ Pence, Franken says https://t.co/xNVMMypbM8 pic.twitter.com/GL6Tw907fJ
— Raw Story (@RawStory) June 20, 2017
This represents just the latest rumors that Donald Trump could face impeachment, as the president’s opposition has targeted a number of issues ranging from his unresolved business conflicts of interest to the expanding Russia investigation. White House officials have denied that Donald Trump has any plans to fire Robert Mueller.
[Featured Image by Olivier Doulieryl/Pool/Getty Images]
