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Rep. Johnson: Congress Must Pass Special Counsel Integrity Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 22 Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) joined his House Judiciary Democratic colleagues, led by Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), at a joint press conference to discuss the obstruction of the Special Counsel’s investigation with potential moves by President Trump against Attorney General Sessions, DAG Rosenstein, and/or Special Counsel Mueller himself. The Members raised concerns related to President Trump threatening the rule of law, the potential for a constitutional crisis, and Republicans’ failure to take action protecting the Special Counsel with provisions excluded from the FY18 Omnibus. 
 

Below are Rep. Johnson’s remarks:

“Our country was founded upon the hallowed principles of liberty and justice.

“Liberty and justice are like twins — you can’t have one without the other. A threat to justice is a threat to our liberty. An attack on justice is an attack on our freedom.

“The events of last weekend were an attack on justice. After being subjected to great public pressure from President Trump, and despite having recused himself from the Trump investigation, Attorney General Jeff Sessions succumbed to the pressure and in a late Friday night whacking they fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Coupled with the President’s increasingly frantic Twitter attacks on Special Counsel Mueller and his investigation, it is becoming increasingly apparent that President Trump is desperate and is getting close to taking action that would plunge this nation into a constitutional crisis.

“The President appears to be ready to follow through on his redline threat to move against the investigation if it turns to his personal finances. That line was certainly crossed with last week’s disclosure that the Special Counsel has subpoenaed the Trump organization’s records. If the president follows through on what many fear is the eventual firing of Attorney General Sessions and replacing him with someone who would be willing to follow orders and fire Bob Mueller or restrict the scope of the ongoing investigation — such action would most certainly be a clear and unambiguous move to obstruct justice.

“Senator Graham said it best: America is a rule-of-law country. If, and when, the president fires Sessions, it will be clear that justice and the rule of law will be under attack. It will then be time for all good men and women of this country, including my friends and fellow patriots on the other side of the aisle, to stand with House Judiciary Committee Democrats to protect liberty and justice and freedom. Any attempts by President Trump to fire Mueller or impede his investigation is our redline, and we will not let him cross it without an appropriate response. Meanwhile, Congress must act to protect the special counsel by passing H.R. 4669, The Special Counsel Integrity Act.”

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