By Glynn Wilson –

The forced resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions of Alabama by Donald Trump the day after the midterm elections and right after a contentious White House press conference has set off a firestorm of criticism in Washington and around the country and generated a host of anxiety in the legal community that the president may be on the verge of an overreach that could set off a constitutional crisis.

If the president moves to try to shut down the special counsel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the American government will enter the uncharted territory of a president trying to seize power like the European monarchs that the United States fought a Revolutionary War to combat in creating a democratic republic.

Comparisons are being made to the day Trump fired FBI Directer James Comey in May, 2017, and the day then President Richard Nixon fired independent prosecutor Archibald Cox in October, 1973, in what came to be known as the Saturday Night Massacre.

Birmingham Democrat Doug Jones wins historic U.S. Senate election victory over Republican Roy Moore in Alabama, Tuesday Dec. 12, 2017: Glynn Wilson

No attorney, U.S. Senator or former prosecutor is more concerned about this prospect than Birmingham Democrat Doug Jones, although with only one year in office, he has tried to be careful in standing by former Senator Sessions and in not being overly critical of the president.

Just three days after the election, in which the Democrats took over a majority in the House yet Republicans held control of the Senate and Republicans swept most of the races in Alabama by huge landslides, Senator Jones issued his most critical comments yet of a president most Democrats consider to be “an enemy of the people” like he often describes the press itself.

“For nearly two years, the president has done a disservice to the American people by leveling unfair attacks against our law enforcement agencies. He has also diminished the importance of the legitimate investigation of Russian election interference by labeling it a ‘witch hunt,’” Senator Jones said in a statement.

“As a former U.S. attorney and prosecutor, I am concerned that he will use the firing of Attorney General Sessions to exert control over Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation. It is even more vital now that Congress takes action to protect the investigation,” Mr. Jones continued. “I remain deeply concerned about the targeted and well-funded efforts by Russia to undermine our democracy and influence our elections, particularly those yet to come.”

The remarks from Senator Jones echo those raised by other national Democrats on Wednesday after the sensational development one day after the election. Trump’s appointment of Republican operative Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general is also contributing to the criticism of the move, considering his published comments describing the special counsel’s investigation as “going too far” into Trump’s financial dealings.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters that protecting the Mueller probe was “paramount,” and that limiting or ending the investigation would create a “constitutional crisis.”

Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that was instrumental in helping to fund the special election victory of Senator Jones last year, held a rally in Silver Spring on Thursday demanding that Republican Leader and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell bring the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act to a vote on the Senate floor.

“As it becomes increasingly clear that Matthew Whitaker is a political crony who has no plans to recuse himself from overseeing the probe, it’s up to Congress to act,” Van Hollen said at the rally and video posted on Facebook and Twitter. “The GOP leadership must stop bowing down to President Trump and start standing up for the Constitution.”

To the people, he said, “Keep fighting, we must get to the truth!”

On the other hand, Alabama Congressman Bradley Byrne, the Republican from Mobile who has already indicated he will run against Jones in 2020 — even if Sessions himself tries to run to take back his old seat — said Mueller’s team should bring the investigation to a close.

“I would hope that person would say, ‘What is your endgame here?’” Byrne said to reporters in Mobile. “If you have a case, put it on the table for everyone to see. There is all this speculation and it’s not getting us anywhere. If he’s got a case, make the case. If not, fold it up and call it quits.”

Many Democrats were speculating on social media that Mr. Mueller might issue his report soon or at least issue new indictments through the grand jury he has empaneled in Virginia across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Others seem worried that Trump is about to move to fire Mueller himself and shut down the investigation, although the president said in Wednesday’s press conference that he would not.

Democrats are buoyed by the victory of taking over the House, and can’t wait for the new Congress to be sworn in in January to begin payback for the election and the past two years with numerous investigations of Mr. Trump.

The president has threatened to shut down the government if the Democrats persist in investigating him. Spokespersons working for Mr. Trump like Rudi Giuliani have threatened on cable TV talks shows that there will be even more violence across the country if people don’t get onboard supporting this president.

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