Appearing on MSNC on Saturday morning, former Solicitor General Walter Dellinger warned FBI and Justice Department officials that they would feel the full wrath of President Donald Trump if they undertake any further investigations into Russian meddling in U.S. elections including the 2020 election.
Speaking with AM Joy host Joy Reid, Dellinger -- who served as the acting United States Solicitor General and then as Assistant Attorney General -- said Trump's refusal to acknowledge Russian meddling and attacks on the Justice Department, in general, is a warning sign that no one is safe if they take a hard look at the Kremlin.
"There is a long tradition of executive branch independence when it comes to carrying out criminal investigative functions without Congress interfering and saying 'here's who you should or should not be investigating,'" Dellinger began. "But I don't want to diminish, I think, how extraordinary and distressing the present moment is, because you have what we're talking about now."
"The fact that if there is Russian interference in the 2020 election, the attorney general has sent, and the president, have sent a message to anybody in counter-intelligence or FBI, if you start to investigate leads that show that the Russians are attempting to re-elect Trump you will find yourself investigated."
"You will find yourself called in front of a congressional committee," he continued before adding, "And when you couple that with the shocking fact that the president of the United States refused yesterday to defend the United States by asserting to Vladimir Putin that he should stop doing this or pay severe sanctions, the combination of those is extremely distressing."
"Indeed," host Reid added. "Opening the door and warning the guards to stand down."
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