New poll: 50% of Americans believe Trump is the victim of political "Witch hunt"; but 62% consider "very important" to release the final report of Special counsel Robert Mueller on whether Trump obstructed justice and if his campaign colluded with Russia
Monday, March 18, 2019
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| Russia meddling probe head Robert Mueller (L) and US President Donald Trump (R): half of Americans agree with Trump that Mueller's investigation is a political 'witch hunt' (AFP Photo/SAUL LOEB, Brendan Smialowski) |
VietPress USA (March 18, 2019): President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9, 2017 to terminate the top official leading a criminal investigation into whether Mr. Trump’s advisers colluded with the Russian government to steer the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.
Due to this, Democratic Lawmakers called for a special counsel to lead the Russia inquiry.
The New York Times indicated that Trump explained the firing by citing Mr. Comey’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, even though the president was widely seen to have benefited politically from that inquiry and had once praised Mr. Comey for his “guts” in his pursuit of Mrs. Clinton during the campaign.
But in his letter to Mr. Comey, released to reporters by the White House, the president betrayed his focus on the continuing inquiry into Russia and his aides.
Since Mueller was appointed in May 2017, Trump and the White House have pushed hard to discredit the investigation, and Trump has reportedly demanded several times that it be shut down.
He also is pushing to prevent any release of Mueller's report. Trump calls Mueller's investigation is a "Witch Hunt".
"The Special Counsel should never have been appointed and there should be no Mueller Report. This was an illegal & conflicted investigation in search of a crime," Trump tweeted,
Today on Monday the USA Today/Suffolk University poll showed that Half of Americans believe President Donald Trump is the victim of a political "witch hunt," nearly two years after the launch of the Russia meddling investigation.
The new poll also shows that Voters are broadly opposed, 62 percent to 28 percent, to an impeachment effort against the president in the House of Representatives.
But the new poll said support for releasing the report of Special counsel Robert Mueller is very high: 62 percent consider its release "very important" while another 21 percent judge it "somewhat important."
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Poll: half of Americans see a Trump victim of witch hunt
Washington (AFP) - Half of Americans believe President Donald Trump is the victim of a political "witch hunt," nearly two years after the launch of the Russia meddling investigation, a new poll showed Monday.
Voters are also broadly opposed, 62 percent to 28 percent, to an impeachment effort against the president in the House of Representatives, the USA Today/Suffolk University poll showed.
But they overwhelmingly want Special Counsel Robert Mueller's final report on whether Trump obstructed justice and whether his campaign colluded with Russians made public.
Mueller has already issued some three dozen indictments, including charging six former aides and associates of the president and is believed to be winding up his investigation. He has given no indication so far what he will conclude.
Trump, who has stepped up his campaign to convince the public that Mueller's team is biased and the investigation politicized, tweeted "Wow!" in reaction to the poll.
"50% of Americans AGREE that Robert Mueller's investigation is a Witch Hunt," he wrote. "Very few think it is legit! We will soon find out?"
Democrats in the House of Representatives say they will impeach Trump if there is evidence of wrongdoing in Mueller's report.
But support in Congress for impeaching and trying Trump could by influenced by the level of voter support.
Mueller has obtained guilty pleas and convictions against five of the six Trump aides charged so far, including Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen, 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and former national security advisor Michael Flynn.
The investigators are still interviewing witnesses, signalling that they could still be preparing charges against others.
But Mueller's conclusions about Trump's role, if any, are unknown.
Since Mueller was appointed in May 2017, Trump and the White House have pushed hard to discredit the investigation, and Trump has reportedly demanded several times that it be shut down.
He also is pushing to prevent any release of Mueller's report.
"The Special Counsel should never have been appointed and there should be no Mueller Report. This was an illegal & conflicted investigation in search of a crime," Trump tweeted on Friday.
But the new poll said support for releasing the report is very high: 62 percent consider its release "very important" while another 21 percent judge it "somewhat important."
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