Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates argued President Donald Trump's pressure on the Department of Justice to probe whether it or the FBI spied on his presidential campaign is "a step beyond a dangerous point."
Yates made her remarks during an interview on CNN's "The Axe Files," which is scheduled for broadcast Saturday. CNN posted a story on his website Friday detailing some of her remarks.
"Really from the beginning of his presidency, President Trump has not observed the time-honored norm that's been in place at least since Watergate that there should be a real division between the Department of Justice and the White House," she said.
Yates was fired by the president last year for refusing to defend his travel ban.
She now expressed concern over his demands for a probe.
"And here it's even a step beyond a dangerous point because it's not just directing a criminal investigation or to stop one but anyone, it directly relates to his campaign," she said. "That's truly unprecedented."
Yates, who worked in the Justice Department for nearly three decades, defended the men and women who work there.
"I was with DOJ for 27 years, and I can tell you that the men and women of the Department of Justice take the responsibility very seriously," she said. "Investigations there are done based on the facts and the law and not based on politics. And I'm confident that that will be the result of this investigation as well."
The Hill noted she has spoken out against Trump's attacks on the department previously. And earlier this month she accused the president of “tearing down the legitimacy” of the presidency.
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