President Trump on Wednesday doubled down on his threat to “get involved” in the Justice Department over the Russia election-meddling probe and the refusal of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to bend to his will.
“A Rigged System — They don’t want to turn over Documents to Congress. What are they afraid of? Why so much redacting? Why such unequal ‘justice?’ At some point I will have no choice but to use the powers granted to the Presidency and get involved!” Trump posted on Twitter.
The tweet came a day after the Justice Department told Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) — head of the conservative House Freedom Caucus — that it would not turn over a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein outlining the scope of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation because it dealt with an ongoing criminal investigation.
Meadows and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), another caucus member, also want to know whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions was involved in the decision to raid the office, home and hotel room of Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime personal lawyer.
Rosenstein — who oversees Mueller’s probe — had said Tuesday that the department would not be cowed by threats and would adhere to the rule of law.
Mueller, in a tense March sit-down with Trump’s lawyers, said he could slap the commander in chief with a grand- jury subpoena if the president refused to meet with the special counsel’s team.
Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign, and whether the president committed obstruction of justice.
Trump slammed the investigation with characteristic Twitter bombast.
“There was no Collusion (it is a Hoax) and there is no Obstruction of Justice (that is a setup & trap). What there is is [sic] Negotiations going on with North Korea over Nuclear War, Negotiations going on with China over Trade Deficits, Negotiations on NAFTA, and much more. Witch Hunt!” he wrote.
If Mueller’s team decided to subpoena Trump as part of the investigation, the president could fight it in court or refuse to answer questions under oath by invoking his Fifth Amendment protection from self-incrimination.