Justice Dept.
The Justice Dept. was dealing with many issues and feared the system could be hindered.
“The department is responding to what it believes to be good faith requests for information pursuant to Congress’s appropriate oversight function, and the department is doing so in a way that will not have any adverse impact on ongoing investigations,” said Stephen E. Boyd.
Boyd, the Justice Department’s Assistant Attorney General for legislative affairs made comments regarding the ongoing internal issues.
It was believed that Rosenstein’s stance to protect Mueller could harm the department.
“It could become an exception that swallows the rule,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal. “Every request by Congress can be made to seem exceptional.”
It was also believed that Trump threw Rosenstein under the bus.
“Rod got suckered by the President in writing the memo,” said Philip B. Heymann. “Trump marched his deputy attorney general way out on a limb and then left him there.”
Heymann, a former Justice Department official and one of Mr. Rosenstein’s mentors felt Rosenstein got a bad deal.
The deputy AG also had those who supported him.
“I never heard a political word escape from his lips,” said Brian E. Frosh. “He was smart, honest, fair, tough — everything you want in a prosecutor.”
