Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said it was inexcusable for President Trump and Matt Whitaker, the acting attorney general, to discuss any case that relates to the commander in chief.
CNN reported Friday that Trump lashed out at Whitaker about federal prosecutors referencing his own actions in court documents about his former lawyer Michael Cohen’s crimes.
“The President of the United States should not be discussing any criminal case in which he has been implicated with the Acting Attorney General,” Schiff said, adding, “This is wrong, unethical and eviscerates post-Watergate policy. Whitaker should not need an ethics opinion to know this is inexcusable.”
The President of the United States should not be discussing any criminal case in which he has been implicated with the Acting Attorney General.
This is wrong, unethical and eviscerates post-Watergate policy. Whitaker should not need an ethics opinion to know this is inexcusable. https://t.co/CTRiv4k6Xg
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 22, 2018
Trump questioned Whitaker in recent weeks about why federal prosecutors in New York weren’t being reined in after court documents implicated Trump in hush-money payments made to two women during the 2016 campaign who alleged they had affairs with Trump.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the payments were not campaign contributions, which would violate campaign finance laws.
Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about negotiations for a potential Trump Tower in Moscow.
Sources told CNN that Trump did not direct the attorney general to stop any investigation, but was instead just venting about a situation that he sees as being unfair to him.
