Trump heads to Mueller showdown
President has some decisions to make on future of Russia probe
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is hurtling toward a potential showdown with special counsel Robert Mueller over the Russia investigation, and he has some decisions to make.
After approving Friday’s release of a disputed memo written by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes over the objections of his own FBI director and intelligence community, Trump’s next moves will be critical for the investigation into Russia’s election interference and possible collusion with his associates.
The president may also be under investigation by Mueller for possible obstruction of justice in the Russia probe — and any further attempt to wrest control of the probe threatens to unleash a political crisis.
Some possible flashpoints would include:
Dismissing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing the special counsel’s investigation;
Seeking a way to fire Mueller himself;
Refusing to cooperate with Mueller’s investigators, who want to interview the president.
One thing seems clear: The president and his allies already are laying the groundwork to cast doubt on the Russia investigation — especially if Mueller makes a formal accusation about Trump.
“This memo totally vindicates ‘Trump’ in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on,” Trump tweeted Saturday. “Their (sic) was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!”
The memo in question alleges that the FBI and Justice Department abused their surveillance authority to target former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
Democrats have long contended that Trump’s overarching goal is to discredit or even destroy the Mueller investigation. The release of the memo — and Trump’s interpretations of it — could be big parts of that process.
In an open letter to Trump on Friday, a group of Democrats said an effort to use the Nunes memo as a pretext to dismiss Rosenstein or Mueller — or both — would be viewed as an attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia probe.
It “could result in a constitutional crisis of the kind not seen since the Saturday Night Massacre,” said the letter, signed by 10 Democratic leaders, including top Senate Democrat Charles Schumer of New York and House counterpart Nancy Pelosi of California.
Rosenstein is overseeing the probe since Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself.
In theory, Trump could appoint a new deputy attorney general who could fire Mueller. It might take months for the Senate to confirm any Trump nominee to replace Rosenstein.