Senate Democrats said Wednesday that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whom most of them voted to confirm just weeks ago, has now been tainted by this week’s firing of FBI Director James Comey and can no longer be involved in deciding the next big steps in the Russia probe.
Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said the top career prosecutor in the Justice Department must now be the person who decides whether a special prosecutor is needed to pursue the investigation into Russia’s work with figures from the Trump campaign.
“It should not be a political appointee who makes such a decision,” the New York Democrat said.
He said Democrats met earlier in the day and agreed on a series of demands moving forward, with Mr. Rosenstein’s sidelining being a key.
Mr. Schumer said Democrats are united in demanding a special prosecutor — a decision that usually rests with the attorney general. But Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself, leaving the decision to Mr. Rosenstein.
Mr. Schumer said the deputy has been tarnished because he had a meeting with Mr. Comey earlier this month, where some news outlets have reported the FBI director asked for more money to conduct the prove. The Justice Department has vehemently denied those reports.
“That might be the reason he was fired — because he was pursuing the investigation in an accelerated way,” Mr. Schumer said, referring to Mr. Comey’s ouster Tuesday.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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