‘Criminal act’: Trump orders DOJ to probe Democrats

President Donald Trump, on Saturday, directed the United States Justice Department to investigate Democrats for allegedly threatening individuals with impeachment and other punitive measures, deeming their actions as a criminal act via a social media post. The president did not provide any evidence to substantiate his claims.

In the mid-term elections held on Tuesday, Democratic candidates managed to defeat President Trump's Republicans, thereby securing control of Congress from January. Party leaders have pledged to regain oversight of the executive branch once they assume power, by organizing hearings and conducting investigations into actions undertaken by the Trump administration.

Trump's accusation against Democrats involved allegations of sending threatening letters to numerous individuals, all of whom are presumed innocent. Congress has already disseminated copies of these letters, which demand documents related to various subjects, including financial support for a large ballroom Trump is constructing at the White House.

The president's post also referenced Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, who expressed her concerns about Congress investigating individuals who have facilitated Trump's policies during an address at the University of Chicago in the previous month. Slotkin stated, "I want young people coming out of school to say, 'Should I go work for the Trump administration?' ...

I want them to be like, 'Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don't want. And so I might avoid participating in that.'" Her remarks, made within weeks of the mid-term elections, were denounced by Republicans. Senator Mike Lee of Utah criticized Slotkin, alleging that she was threatening young people who aspire to enter politics. Slotkin dismissed Lee's claims, stating, "Spare us the manufactured outrage."

Trump's Justice Department has previously investigated Slotkin. She was one of several Democratic lawmakers with backgrounds in national security who faced scrutiny from the department after they posted a video urging service members and intelligence officials to defy illegal orders from the administration. A grand jury dismissed the attempt to indict them.