Rep. Adam Schiff of California said Sunday that Democrats and Republicans alike should move to reinstate special counsel Robert Mueller if President Trump moves to fire him.
“This would undoubtedly result in a constitutional crisis, and I think Democrats and Republicans need to speak out about this right now,” Mr. Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told ABC’s This Week.
Mr. Trump’s lawyer, John Dowd, called on the Justice Department Saturday to immediately shut down Mr. Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
He urged Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the probe, to close it down, saying Mr. Mueller’s work had been “corrupted” by political bias since the beginning.
Mr. Trump said on Twitter the probe should have never started.
Leading Democrats reacted with alarm.
“The president is floating trial balloons about derailing the Mueller investigation. Our Republican colleagues, particularly the leadership, have an obligation to our country to stand up now and make it clear that firing Mueller is a red line for our democracy that cannot be crossed,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said.
Mr. Schiff tied Mr. Trump’s renewed protests to revelations that Mr. Mueller subpoenaed records from the Trump Organization, which oversees Mr. Trump’s business operations.
The Democrat suggested that evidence of potential money laundering is the “most serious” line of investigation for Mr. Mueller, so Mr. Trump may be getting skittish.
“Members need to speak out now. Don’t wait for the crisis,” Mr. Schiff said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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