Russia Investigation

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, now, on the Russia investigation itself. There is this idea out there on the Republican side that the President doesn't intend to interfere with the Russia investigation. Republicans, including my friend the Republican leader, say President Trump has not threatened the special counsel investigation, and so there is no need to protect it. That is a laugh. He threatens the investigation almost every day. He did this morning in his tweets. To say that the President hasn't threatened the special counsel is not only logically dubious, but it is just dead wrong and untrue.

A few weeks ago, President Trump said the investigation ``should end.'' This morning, again, President Trump made clear that he does not want the Mueller investigation to reach a fair and impartial conclusion. Last week, President Trump went around the traditional line of succession in the Justice Department--what many believe to be a violation of the Constitution--to install an Acting Attorney General whose only qualification for the job seems to be that he has publicly criticized the Russia probe.

My friends--particularly my friends, again, on the Republican side-- the writing is on the wall. Let's avoid this constitutional crisis. Let's at least stand up for the rule of law. We should pass legislation now, in the lameduck, to protect the special counsel's investigation from the President and from his woefully unqualified henchman, Mr. Whitaker.

Senators Flake and Coons tried yesterday--bipartisan--but the Republican leader objected. They are going to keep trying, as they should, and Democrats will try to add this proposal to the must-pass spending bill because we believe it is so important for our democracy. There is too much at stake to sit around and wait until the President crosses the line, creating the constitutional crisis we all abhor.

But waiting until that happens would be too late. We need to act on legislation to protect the special counsel, to protect the rule of law, and to protect democracy, accountability, and the fundamental checks and balances that is the hallmark of our great Nation.

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