Posted on 05/14/2017 6:58:16 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" that he would support an effort by Senate Democrats to refuse a vote on President Trump's nominee to be the new director of the FBI if a special prosecutor is not named to investigate Russian involvement in the 2017 campaign.
The notion that Democrats might refuse to vote on any nominee put forward by Trump to be the bureau’s director was first floated last week by a handful of lawmakers including Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). Schumer, who spoke Sunday morning to CNN’s “State of the Union,” is the highest-profile Democrat to back such a plan.
“Yes, I think there are a lot of Democrats who feel that way,” Schumer told host Jake Tapper when asked whether he would support a move to block any potential FBI director until an independent investigator is named. “We will have to discuss it as a caucus, but I would support that move, because who the FBI director is, is related to who the special prosecutor is.”
The president’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey last week raised eyebrows from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, especially given the FBI’s ongoing investigation into Trump’s campaign. The president did little to calm concerns about Comey’s dismissal when he told NBC News in an interview that he weighed the Russia investigation, which he called a “made-up story,” as he made up his mind to fire the FBI director.
As the Senate’s minority party, Democrats would have little power to truly block a new FBI director, whose nomination would need only a simple majority to clear the bar of confirmation. But a partisan battle over the head of the FBI would be new territory for the Senate, which typically confirms the bureau’s director with essentially universal bipartisan support. (Comey was confirmed by a vote of 93-1 in 2013.)
Schumer predicted that the plan would enjoy “broad support” among Senate Democrats, as well as among the American people.
Democrats sure have fallen in love with special prosecutors, haven't they? The IRS can target conservatives for special treatment, but we trusted the Democratic Justice Department to thoroughly and fairly investigate that, right? Ditto for Fast and Furious, Benghazi, Hillary's emails, and any one of a half dozen more instances of abuse of power, unconstitutional actions, or illegal activities carried out by the Obama administration. We didn't need a special prosecutor for any of those, said Democrats at the time.
Now, suddenly (!) we need a special prosecutor for...sorry, but I've lost track. How many "special prosecutors" have the Democrats called for in the first four months of the Trump administration?
Correct me if I'm wrong..
Republicans need to wake up and start supporting this POTUS or many will fine they will be replaced...
If this Russian bull doesn't soon stop they will all be facing a primary opponent
Didn’t Rosenstein just get confirmed 94-6? But he’s gonna hold up FBI?
Chucky needs to be stomped on. But there's not a Senator with gonads to do it.
You forget that 3 repubs can be depended on to vote with the dems. McCain, Graham, and Collins, so you really have 51 dem votes to our 48 plus Pence. I hope Rowdy Gowdy gets in but he will need SS guards and a food taster for himself and his family.
I have to believe Trump is very popular in NoDak right now.
‘Funny thing is on the hill chuckie is running everything’
You must have reached that conclusion after Schumer did such a fine job of blocking Gorsuch.
Fine let us vote for a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary and Huma and Obama and Jarett.
Hide and watch
Has Trump of r anyone from the Administration even mentioned the possibility of an interim Director? To me the first priority is to get that Bastard McCabe out of the chair.
Donnelly, Manchum , and one more D senator of the numerous Ds running for office in the Fall.
Not only with the pipeline, but the hugely advantageous Ag trade deals just inked with China.
Let’s see how well this Democratic opposition fares after 2018. I can’t imagine Sam “There are no smug liberals” Bee has been helping their appeal in Middle America.
Schumer’s a lawyer. Appoint him Special Prosecutor. When he comes back with nothing, laugh in his face.
Rudy already said that he won't be FBI Director.
It’s been talked about in a couple of places
My suggestion is to appoint Kelly as the interim director. And then Fran T as the permanent Both Kelly and Fran worked with Rudy is taking down the mob in NY and NJ.
Since some of what they will be working with is the NYC investigation
Into the Huma Weiner computer. They seem like the logical choice
That's what I am thinking. President Trump can fire and appoint at will. Keep firing if the one running the FBI is not doing the job, keep appointing interim directors.
Trump won’t back down. Suck it Shumie.
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