Dem: Trump allies’ attacks on Mueller ‘invoke shades of creeping McCarthyism’

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) in a tweet on Sunday said the attacks on special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russia’s election meddling brought to mind the “Red Scare” of the 1950s, saying the criticisms “invoke shades of creeping McCarthyism.”

“Attacks from Trump allies & the far right on the special counsel’s investigation & integrity invoke shades of creeping McCarthyism. We will continue to fight to allow Mueller’s independent investigation to continue,” Hirono said. 

Attacks from Trump allies & the far right on the special counsel’s investigation & integrity invoke shades of creeping McCarthyism. We will continue to fight to allow Mueller’s independent investigation to continue.

— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 17, 2017

Her comments come as Republicans have pounced on Mueller’s investigation, claiming it could have an anti-Trump bias. 

Text messages surfaced last week showing FBI agent Peter Strzok and colleague Lisa Page criticizing Trump during the campaign. 

Strzok, who was dismissed from Mueller’s team earlier this year, had said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was “an idiot like Trump,” while Page called Trump “a loathsome human.” 

“God, Hillary should win 100,000,000-0,” Strzok said in another message to Page.

There is nothing in the FBI guidelines that would prevent agents from having or expressing a political opinion in a private setting.

However, Republicans have called for an investigation into the matter. 

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said on Sunday that the courts are responsible for handling complaints against Mueller.