President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign used his recent “demand” that the Justice Department investigate special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe in a fundraising email Monday.
“WORSE than Watergate,” the email’s subject line read.
“I hereby DEMAND that the Department of Justice investigate whether Obama’s FBI and DOJ infiltrated or surveilled our campaign for political purposes,” the email, signed by Trump, reads.
“THIS COULD BE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY.”
“I need you to sign your name right this second to join me in demanding this abuse of power gets investigated.”
The petition link leads to a form on Trump’s campaign website, with the following text:
President Trump is demanding that the Department of Justice investigate whether Obama’s FBI and DOJ infiltrated or surveilled the President’s campaign for political purposes.
The President needs you to add your name to ensure this abuse of power gets investigated.
Add your name right now.
Once filled out, the form leads to a fundraising page for Trump’s campaign.
Fine print below the form carries the necessary disclaimer for political communications: That it was “Paid for by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, a joint fundraising committee authorized by and composed of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and the Republican National Committee.”
Trump on Sunday tweeted that he would “demand” an investigation of a reported FBI informant who had contact with members of the Trump campaign prior to the election. Without evidence, Trump has raged at the possibility that the informant was used to damage him politically, rather than to provide information as part of the FBI’s larger election meddling probe.
The Justice Department announced within hours of the President’s “demand” tweet that it had asked its inspector general, Michael Horowitz, to add the inquiry to an existing one into the FBI’s warrant application to surveil Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page.
The White House confirmed to multiple outlets Monday that the President would meet today with DOJ Deputy Director Rod Rosenstein, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.
H/t Julie Davis.
