Bernie Sanders Torches Trump for Arguing Against Mueller Testimony

“You are not a dictator.”

Jerry Mennenga/ZUMA

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

Sen. Bernie Sanders attacked President Donald Trump for objecting to congressional testimony from Robert Mueller, suggesting in a tweet Monday that any potential action by the president to thwart Mueller’s testimony would be unconstitutional. 

“You are not a dictator,” Sanders wrote.

Sanders’ remarks added to the wave of condemnation on Sunday after the president suddenly backtracked on his own statements claiming he’d be open to a Mueller testimony and announced that he did not support such an event after all. “Bob Mueller should not testify,” he tweeted. “No redos for the Dems!” 

Trump’s resistance to Mueller’s testimony signaled yet another potential move by the president and his allies to refuse to comply with various investigations launched by House Democrats. The most recent of which took place last week, when Attorney General William Barr refused to appear at a House hearing on the Mueller report. Trump’s tweet on Sunday came just hours after Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said that Democrats were working on scheduling Mueller’s testimony for May 15.

Any of the president’s possible concerns with the special counsel testifying were likely heightened after House Democrats released a letter Mueller had written to Barr that outlined his frustrations with the attorney general’s handling of the Mueller report. 

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate