House Dems: Bring it on, Don
Two key House Democrats on Thursday stuck by their pledges to investigate President Trump, defying his threat to release “devastating” documents in retaliation for such inquiries.
“The president has to learn that he is not above the law and his threats will not intimidate us from doing the work that Congress needs to do,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who is set to chair the House Judiciary Committee once the Democrats assume control of the House in January.
Trump told The Post on Wednesday that if Democrats engage in “presidential harassment,” he would declassify documents that would embarrass them.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the likely chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said he saw Trump’s threat as a desperate move.
“What he means: If Democrats do legitimate oversight I will burn sources and allies by selectively declassifying info so my legal team can misrepresent it to the public,” he tweeted. “Why he’s doing it: Fear.” Trump has been sitting on classified Justice Department documents related to the start of the Russia probe.
They include officials’ request to surveil Trump campaign adviser Carter Page and memos on Justice official Bruce Ohr’s interactions with Christopher Steele, author of a dossier that alleged Trump ties to Russia.
Trump also wants to release text messages sent by Ohr, fired FBI Director James Comey, fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe as well as fired FBI agent Peter Strzok and lawyer Lisa Page.
“If they go down the presidential harassment track . . . I think that would be the best thing that would happen to me,” Trump told The Post Wednesday. “I’m a counterpuncher, and I will hit them so hard they’d never been hit like that.”