faux AG Jeff Sessions has refused to appoint a special counsel to investigate the growing scandal on the spying warrants applied for by the FBI and the DOJ. Instead he handed it off to Michael Horowitz, the Inspector General for the DOJ. Now, Trey Gowdy along with Rep Bob Goodlatte have sent Sessions a scathing letter demanding he reverse course and name a special counsel. Gowdy and Goodlatte pointed out that many of the principals have either left government service or have transferred to other agencies. Horowitz cannot force them to answer questions.
Gowdy says that he has counted at least 24 witnesses who cannot be interviewed for the investigation. The FBI and the DOJ can’t be given the job because they would be investigating themselves, which would be a huge conflict of interest. He says at this point the only way to get the truth is through a special counsel. The only way I can see getting a special counsel would be to replace Sessions who avoids prosecuting Democrats at all costs.
Gowdy and Goodlatte’s letter said in part:
“So when I counted up 24 witnesses that he would not be able to access were he to investigate it, you only have one conclusion, that’s special counsel.”
“There is evidence of bias, trending towards animus, among those charged with investigating serious cases. There is evidence political opposition research was used in court filings.”
“There is evidence this political research was neither vetted before it was used nor fully revealed to the relevant tribunal.”
Allies of the president have accused the Obama administration of encouraging and seeking illegal FISA warrants in order to surveil the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. Former national security advisor Susan Rice admitted to “unmasking” several Trump officials from capture surveillance, but said that this was done in the normal course of her intelligence office.
Others, like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) have said that if Sessions will not appoint a second special counsel to investigate the charges, he should step down from his office.
The pressure is mounting on Sessions to resign but his Democratic bosses won’t let him.