Senators, Congressmen Weigh in on Mueller Appointment
WASHINGTON – Ohio’s two U.S. senators and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan issued statements in support of the appointment of former FBI director Robert Mueller to head the agency’s investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Pressure increased to appoint an independent investigator following President Donald Trump’s firing last week of Mueller’s successor as FBI director, James Comey. That pressure intensified Tuesday with reports that Trump had urged Comey to shut down an investigation into Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser.
“An independent investigation is long overdue,” U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said Wednesday evening. The probe “needs to be done right and it needs to be done swiftly, so the American people can get the answers they deserve,” and Congress can move on with initiatives to create jobs, renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, and invest in American infrastructure.
Mueller is “well qualified to oversee this probe,” U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said in his statement. “The issue of Russian meddling in our presidential election must be investigated fully.”
The appointment of Mueller by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is “a necessary and long-overdue step by the Department of Justice that moves us closer to getting to the truth,” U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-13 Ohio, said.
“We need to remain vigilant and steadfast in the face of President Trump’s repeated attempts to obstruct justice,” Ryan said. “These serious allegations and the president’s extremely suspicious actions underscore why we cannot trust the Trump administration to conduct a credible investigation.”
The other congressman who represents the Mahoning Valley, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-6, said on Twitter that he continues to support the two “ongoing, bipartisan” investigations being conducted by the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“All Americans can agree that anyone who violates the law should be held fully accountable,” Johnson said. Now Mueller, as part of his “broader work,” must also determine who is “illegally leaking” confidential information to the media, he said.
Pictured: Robert Mueller.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
