More Than 100,000 Americans Nationwide Pledge to Protest if Trump Fires Mueller
Dec. 18, 2017
More Than 100,000 Americans Nationwide Pledge to Protest if Trump Fires Mueller
Citizens Organize Through Protest Website and Plan Hundreds of Local Demonstrations Nationwide if Trump Moves Against Mueller’s Independent Investigation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 100,000 Americans have signed up to participate in hundreds of protests in all 50 states if President Donald Trump attempts to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller or block his criminal investigation into the Trump campaign and administration.
Despite denials from the White House, Americans are expressing concern and alarm at the Trump administration’s rhetoric and hostility toward Mueller and suspect Trump may be getting ready to fire the independent prosecutor. Americans’ protest sign-ups have surged in recent days at TrumpIsNotAboveTheLaw.org as the verbal attacks on Mueller by Republican members of Congress, White House surrogates and right-wing media have grown louder.
Reminiscent of Watergate, conservative attacks on Mueller are a clear effort to pave the way to prematurely end the special counsel investigation – possibly through a late-night decision made during the holidays when the nation’s attention is diverted. Concerned Americans are visiting TrumpIsNotAboveTheLaw.org and using its tools to find a protest near them or create one if none exists. Protests will begin hours after news breaks of a Mueller firing.
Currently, there are more than 500 protest locations in all 50 states and include cities like Juneau, Alaska; Carson City, Nev.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Little Rock, Ark.; Tupelo, Miss.; Grand Forks, N.D.; Washington D.C., New York, N.Y.; Houston, TX; Seattle, Wash.; and Los Angeles, Calif.
TrumpIsNotAboveTheLaw.org is not organized by any individual group; it is a collaborative effort of dozens of organizations including Truman National Security Project, MoveOn.org Civic Action, Public Citizen, Stand Up America, March for Truth, Common Cause, Indivisible, People for the American Way, Democracy 21 and Center For American Progress Action Fund.
“The American public is owed a complete accounting of the activities that occurred around the 2016 election, and the investigation is the way to achieve that goal. The smear attack on the credibility of Mueller’s work undercuts the ongoing and obvious progress his team is making to uncover the truth, and the vitriol must stop. We cannot proceed to the rapidly approaching next election without a better understanding of the Russian interference and the ancillary cover-up, said Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs at Public Citizen.
“Donald Trump can’t fire the person leading a criminal investigation of him – for the second time – and expect to get away with it. Robert Mueller was brought in by Trump’s own appointee to find the truth about alleged crimes in the Trump campaign, transition and administration. Back then, Republicans glowed about Mueller’s fitness for the task. But now that he has a guilty plea from a former Cabinet-level official, we’re hearing some of them do a 180. It’s sad to see politicians and pundits put Trump above the law. But the American people won’t make that choice. More than 100,000 Americans across the political spectrum are already prepared to mobilize in record speed should Trump fire Mueller,” said David Sievers, campaign director for MoveOn.org.
“In June, we organized events in 150 cities to demand urgency and transparency in the Russia investigations. Now, we’ve reached a crisis point – and more than 500 communities will demonstrate to protect the rule of law,” said Justin Hendrix, organizer for March for Truth.
“No one is above the law, including Donald Trump, and the American people will not put up with further interference in the Russia investigation. The resistance is mobilized, and ready to peacefully take to the streets if necessary to defend our Constitution and the rule of law,” said Sean Eldridge, president of Stand Up America.
“The American people did not stand for President Nixon’s Saturday night massacre and they will not stand for President Trump’s firing of Special Counsel Mueller or interfering with his investigation. Our organizing efforts will help to unleash an immediate and sustained national firestorm if President Trump engages in obstruction of justice and abuse of power by attempting to derail the Mueller investigation,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21.
“Were the president to try to fire Bob Mueller, it would represent a democratic crisis the likes of which we have not seen since Nixon’s Saturday night massacre. Just as a bipartisan national outcry arose then, people of all parties must come together now to make clear they will not tolerate this assault on the rule of law. Our readiness as Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals to peacefully protest sends the message that the president should allow the special counsel to proceed without impediment,” said Richard Painter and Norm Eisen, George W. Bush and Barack Obama White House ethics chief counsels in a joint statement.
“Nearly one year into the presidency of Donald Trump, the critical questions surrounding Russia’s intervention in the 2016 election have never been more important. The American people deserve to know the truth, and the investigation of special prosecutor Robert Mueller must be allowed to continue to its completion. If Trump tries to fire Mueller, issue pardons or otherwise undermine this investigation, tens of thousands of people will be ready to take to the streets and demand accountability,” said Marge Baker, executive vice president of People For the American Way.
“If Trump were to fire Special Counsel Mueller, he would launch a constitutional crisis. Activists are prepared to immediately mobilize to defend our democracy and protect the rule of law. The American people will not tolerate this obstruction of justice, and neither should Congress,” said Elizabeth Beavers, policy manager of Indivisible.
“Americans are united in standing up for the fundamental principle that no one – including the President of the United States – is above the law. If President Trump obstructs justice by firing Special Counsel Mueller, tens of thousands of Americans are prepared to show up and protest such an abuse of power. We will put country over party and make clear that the rule of law must prevail,” said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause.
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