Like the nation that was divided into pro-Trump and anti-Trump groups when former FBI Director James Comey gave an explosive testimony on Thursday before the Senate, the republicans are now divided over the Russia probe. On one hand, there are GOP members like South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham who felt that President Donald Trump talks too much for his own good.
On the other hand, some party stalwarts like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel sought an end to the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller.
The supporters of Trump claimed the probe is a witch hunt and a fishing expedition and there is no evidence that the president did something wrong.
Silence is not golden for Trump
Graham told “Face the Nation” on CBS on Sunday that he found it frustrating that Trump could not just keep quiet about the reported collusion between his campaign and Russian interference in the 2016 election. He warned that he could be the first president in U.S. to go down because he cannot stop talking inappropriately about the investigation, Time reported.
Trump did manage not to tweet for one day on June 8 when Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. He refrained from tweeting because his lawyers advised him, but the next day, at the first chance he had, the real estate billionaire denied Comey’s testimony and accused the director of being a leaker.
On Sunday, Trump again unleashed a tweet, calling Comey cowardly. Graham found Trump’s behavior so unlike a leader of the nation. “Can you be a street fighter on all things, all the time, and still be President of the United States?” Graham asked. He said the president just keeps on babbling on about Comey and not the American people, their needs, desires, hopes, and dreams.
"Trump is making a mistake," he said, The New York Daily News reported.
Abolishing the investigation
When a lawyer for Trump hinted the president has the power to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, Jay Sekulow could be laying the groundwork to clear the billionaire of any wrongdoing. Other legal experts, however, said based on Comey’s testimony, there is evidence that Trump obstructed justice.
The majority of Capitol Hills GOP members praised the credibility of Mueller for being fair in investigating the Russia meddling. But Gingrich believes the probe is tainted because Comey leaked his memos about his meetings with Trump to spark the appointment of a special counsel.
McDaniel added there is no evidence that Trump’s campaign worked with Russians to interfere in the election. She, however, only called for an end to the investigation and did not push for Mueller’s firing. Graham, though, said it should be the RNC that should back off, the New York Post reported.
