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Gaetz, DeSantis join call for 2nd special counsel

Two of Trump's biggest backers in Congress allege abuses at Justice Department, FBI
 
Marine One approaches the White House carrying President Donald Trump after a weekend in Florida on March 25, 2018. [Zach Gibson | Getty Images]
Marine One approaches the White House carrying President Donald Trump after a weekend in Florida on March 25, 2018. [Zach Gibson | Getty Images]
Published May 22, 2018|Updated May 22, 2018

WASHINGTON – Florida Reps. Matt Gaetz and Ron DeSantis today joined a group of Republicans in demanding a second special counsel to investigate what they say are widespread abuses of power at the Justice Department and FBI in probing the Trump campaign and Russia.

The move comes as President Donald Trump has escalated his complaints over Robert Mueller's probe into the 2016 election and Russian interference. Trump and his team have begun to assert that a spy was inserted into the campaign.

"If they had spies in my campaign, that would be a disgrace," Trump told reporters at the White House today. "I hope they weren't."

In fact, as the New York Times reported, "F.B.I. agents sent an informant to talk to two campaign advisers only after they received evidence that the pair had suspicious contacts linked to Russia during the campaign."

A resolution introduced by Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York  seeks "an investigation of abuse of the FISA warrant process, how and why the Hillary Clinton probe ended, and how and why the Donald Trump Russia probe began."

Gaetz and others today said House Speaker Paul Ryan needs to bring the resolution to the floor, but Ryan already said he supports the Justice Department using an inspector general to review the use of informants.