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Protesters at Peekskill participated Thursday in similar rallies across the country to seek protection from the Mueller investigation.
Rockland / Westchester News Journal

WASHINGTON – Protesters across the country are holding massive rallies from New York to Los Angeles to support special advocate Robert Mueller and the investigation of Russia, whose completion they fear due to the dismissal of the prosecutor General Jeff Sessions.

The nearly 900 demonstrations that took place Thursday are part of a coordinated effort by a large number of liberal groups who have come together and have been planning for months a "quick response" to protect Mueller.

The group's website, titled "No One Is Above the Law – Quick Response from Mueller's Protection", presents detailed plans for large-scale events in the event of Mueller's incident in Mueller. peril. The group says something happened when Sessions was fired and replaced by Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker.

"Donald Trump has installed a buddy to oversee the Trump-Russia Special Council survey, thus crossing a red line designed to protect the investigation," the group said on its website. "Our hundreds of riposte events are being launched to demonstrate the public demand for action to correct this injustice."

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The organizers say Whitaker's designation is a "deliberate attempt to prevent the special council's investigation."

President Trump, however, gave no indication as to the end of the investigation, which he described as "witch hunt". However, the reversal of the session will give the president the power to replace him with someone who might attempt to derail the investigation, which also examines a possible obstruction of the president's justice.

In the meantime, his acting replacement and the authority he now holds over the big inquiry have caused him more and more concern.

Whitaker has had to face many criticisms of his earlier remarks about the scope of the investigation, including the fact that the Justice Department could reduce office funding, which would result in the slow death of the bank. investigation and that Mueller would cross a "red line" when he was reviewing the finances of the Trump family.

Thursday, attorneys general in 18 states sent a request to Whitaker asking him to recuse himself from the investigation because of his previous comments.

"Because a reasonable person could challenge the impartiality of your case, your challenge is necessary to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the investigation and to protect the privacy of your business. 39 essential and lasting independence of the department you have chosen to lead, "reads the letter.

In New York, a demonstration in Times Square drew several hundred people who demanded Mueller's protection.

The gathered people chanted slogans such as "Hands off Mueller" and "Nobody is above the law" before walking towards the city center. They held signs saying "The truth must triumph" and "Repeal, replace the trump".

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It was a similar scene in Ohio, where hundreds of people had gathered in downtown Cincinnati, placards asking Trump to show deference to law and order.

Some, however, believe that he has already violated the law by inserting Whitaker as Attorney General.

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About 40 protesters gathered Thursday in downtown Pensacola to support the Russian investigation.
Christopher Girod, Pensacola News Journal

Whitaker's appointment to the position of senior law enforcement officer in the country was made without the approval of the Senate, which Patricia Klingenberg, organizer of the Cincinnati Rally, described as "probably unconstitutional".

Phil Heimlich, a former deputy district attorney and Cincinnati city councilor, said the change of direction should worry everyone.

"It's very obvious to me that it's an attempt to derail the pursuit," he told The Enquirer. "The mere fact of indictment can not go on without Whitaker, he can stop everything."

In Vermont, a rally blocked traffic in downtown Burlington as protesters headed from the federal building at Elmwood Avenue to City Hall chanting "Let Bob do its job!" and "Two, four, six, eight! We want Mueller to investigate!"

Prosecutors must be able to independently review evidence and make decisions, Eugene Bergman, deputy prosecutor for the recently retired town of Burlington, told the crowd.

"The integrity of our system, the rule of law itself, depends on this freedom from political pressure," he said. "When the political leader exercises or attempts to exercise control of a prosecutor, it is an act of corruption."

Former governor Madeline Kunin told the assembled crowd that giving Whitaker the supervision of the investigation was manipulative and erroneous.

She told the marchers to prepare for a long fight.

"We have to be vigilant," said Kunin. "We must persist and persist."

Those in Tennessee also rallied for the cause. In Nashville, protesters waved placards and chanted for a rally "Nobody is above the law".

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A dozen protesters gathered in front of City Hall at 5pm. Thursday, November 8, 2018, as part of a national effort to protest the dismissal of Jeff Sessions.
Lici Beveridge, Hattiesburg American

"Donald Trump has just crossed a red line, violating the independence of the investigation into criminal charges in the Trump-Russia scandal and concealment." Trump putting himself above the law is a threat to our democracy and we have to convince Congress to stop it, "the organizers said in an online message about the event. "We are mobilizing immediately to demand accountability because Trump is not above the law."

Contribution: Associated Press

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