Republicans ask Rosenstein for names of everyone working on Mueller probe
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A group of nine House Republican lawmakers has signed a letter asking Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to provide the names of everyone "past and present" who has worked on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
The lawmakers say they are "disturbed" by the initial appointments to the probe of agents and attorneys with an anti-Trump bias. Their letter specifically references agent Peter Strzok, attorney Lisa Page and attorney Kevin Clinesmith.
"We know that these biases were shared among multiple people at the FBI and could be easily uncovered by Mr. Mueller with simple vetting," the letter says. "These individuals should not have been given an opportunity to influence – directly or indirectly – this special counsel investigation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}REPUBLICANS DEMAND NAMES OF ANTI-TRUMP FBI EMPLOYEES FROM BOMBSHELL IG REPORT
The letter also adds that the lawmakers are concerned that "there may be more politically biased investigators" working on Mueller's team.
Republicans have said they believe Clinesmith is the attorney identified in DOJ Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz's report on the Hillary Clinton email investigation as "Attorney 2." The Horowitz report, released earlier this month, includes messages from "Attorney 2" lamenting Trump's election as well as a missive reading "viva le resistance."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Strzok and Page were removed from the Mueller investigation last year after Horowitz's office informed Mueller about their anti-Trump messages. "Attorney 2," believed to be Clinesmith, was the primary FBI attorney assigned to the Mueller investigation but left the probe in February of this year.
"Congress's constitutional oversight gives us the responsibility to know ... whether other members of Mr. Mueller’s team harbor political biases and have conflicts of interest," the letter concludes. "These investigators endanger our ability to uphold justice."
The letter is signed by Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn.; Jeff Duncan, R-S.C.; Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Andy Harris, R-Md.; Jody Hice, R-Ga., Scott Perry, R-Pa.; and Ralph Norman, R-S.C.