Pres. Trump claims political bias in Russia probe
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is reviving concerns that the special counsel team investigating Russian election interference may be biased against him.
Trump tweeted Sunday: “Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added…does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!”
The tweet marks one of the first times that Trump has mentioned special counsel Robert Mueller by name.
Trump allies previously have questioned whether Mueller can lead an unbiased probe because some of his investigators have made campaign contributions to Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton. Mueller is a former FBI director appointed by Republican President George W. Bush.
Other Trump backers have noted that Mueller interviewed with Trump to serve another term as FBI director. Trump instead nominated Christopher Wray to lead the bureau.
President Trump also raised doubts on Sunday about whether former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe kept personal memos outlining McCabe’s interactions with the president.
McCabe was fired Friday by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The Associated Press is reporting that McCabe’s memos have been provided to special counsel Mueller.
Trump tweeted Sunday: “Spent very little time with Andrew McCabe, but he never took notes when he was with me. I don’t believe he made memos except to help his own agenda, probably at a later date. Same with lying James Comey. Can we call them Fake Memos?”
McCabe has been the object of Trump’s ire over McCabe’s role in the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
Comey – the FBI director who was fired last year by Trump – also kept memos of his dealings with Trump.