GOP Rep: Mueller Is ‘Not Being Favorable To The President’

UNITED STATES - MARCH 18: Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla., participates in the House Armed Services Committee hearing on "The President's Proposed Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against ISIL and the FY2016 N... UNITED STATES - MARCH 18: Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla., participates in the House Armed Services Committee hearing on "The President's Proposed Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against ISIL and the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of Defense" on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Rep. Steve Russell (R-OK) said Friday that special counsel Robert Mueller “is not being favorable to the President.”

During an interview, CNN’s Poppy Harlow asked Russell if the House Oversight Committee, of which he is a member, would investigate a whistleblower’s claims that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had texted a business associate on Inauguration Day to tell him that an elaborate plan to build nuclear reactors across the Middle East was “good to go.” The plan, according to the whistleblower’s account, had been hindered by America dropping sanctions against Russia.

“Do you think it should be investigated by your committee?” Harlow asked.

“I think that you have to look at the fact that we already have a special investigator that’s been appointed by the President, one that, you know, quite frankly many people see that he is not being favorable to the President, depending upon what political viewpoint you have,” Russell said.

“I don’t think there’s some issue on the other side of the aisle that, you know, Mr. Mueller is being unfair,” he added. “Those investigations are handled by special investigators.”

Harlow pressed on why Russell’s committee couldn’t handle the probe itself.

“We are already looking at it, it’s already been brought to our attention,” Russell said before hedging.

“We’ve made a determination at this stage that it’s already being handled in other ways with the evidence that we see. If new evidence should come to light or something that would cause us to want to go into a deeper investigation, well then, we’ll have to see that evidence.”

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: