Around New England
Soros-Backed Group Mobilizes “#ProtectMueller” Protests; Immediate Turnout In All New England States
November 9, 2018
In the immediate wake of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ resignation Wednesday (Nov.7) and President Donald Trump’s appointing of Matthew G. Whitaker as acting attorney general, progressives at MoveOn, fearing Whitaker’s appointment might undermine a special counsel’s investigation of the president, called for national protests that were organized within hours.
In New England, protests were held Thursday evening — about 24 hours after Sessions’ resignation — in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Other protests were held throughout the United States.
President Trump asked for Sessions’ resignation after months of alleged disagreement over Sessions’ handling of the Justice Department, specifically his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, including allegations of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. Neither the president nor his campaign has been indicted or charged in matters directly related to the Mueller probe’s focus (although some associates have been charged and convicted in unrelated matters).
MoveOn’s call to action, “Nobody Is Above The Law–Mueller Protection Rapid Response,” included the following:
Donald Trump has installed a crony to oversee the special counsel’s Trump-Russia investigation, crossing a red line set to protect the investigation. By replacing Rod Rosenstein with just-named Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as special counsel Robert Mueller’s boss on the investigation, Trump has undercut the independence of the investigation. Whitaker has publicly outlined strategies to stifle the investigation and cannot be allowed to remain in charge of it. The Nobody Is Above the Law network demands that Whitaker immediately commit not to assume supervision of the investigation. Our hundreds of response events are being launched to demonstrate the public demand for action to correct this injustice. […]
Donald Trump just crossed a red line, violating the independence of the investigation pursuing criminal charges in the Trump-Russia scandal and cover-up.
Trump putting himself above the law is a threat to our democracy, and we’ve got to get Congress to stop him.
We’re mobilizing immediately to demand accountability, because Trump is not above the law.
According to the Burlington Free Press, “[h]undreds of people filled the streets of downtown Burlington Thursday night to demand Congress protect special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.”
The Boston Globe also reports “hundreds” attended an event on the Boston Common. In Maine, the Kennebec Journal is reporting that “dozens” gathered in front of the State House in Augusta.
George Soros, described by Forbes as a “legendary hedge-fund tycoon” whose net worth of $8.3 billion “obliges” him (his words) “to take a stand on controversial issues,” is also a well-known progressive who helped MoveOn in 2004, giving the progressive advocacy group $1.5 million.
The New York Daily News describes Soros this way:
He frequently donates to liberal causes and has pledged to invest a half-billion dollars to programs that help people who flee their home countries because of civil war, poverty or political oppression.
Soros […] attracted the attention of American conservatives in 2004 when he began putting his money into groups seeking to prevent then-President George W. Bush’s reelection bid.
He backed a slew of liberal groups including Move On, America Coming Together and the John Podesta chaired Center for American Progress…
Soros, born in Hungary, has a home in Katohah, NY. He was a target of mail bomber Cesar Sayoc, who was arrested last month for sending various explosive devices to left-leaning pols, activists and news outlets. An apparent bomb was found in Soros’ Katonah, NY mailbox.
#ProtectMueller is a Twitter hashtag used to communicate among like-minded Twitter users.
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