There is truth to the argument that independent prosecutors have too much power. While they report directly to the attorney general, they can take investigations into unchartered territory.

Partisans are not immune from attacking special prosecutors. Democrats and Clinton hacks, pilloried Ken Starr at every turn during the Monica Lewinsky investigation. One of Clinton’s hatchet-men, Sid Blumenthal smeared one of Starr’s deputies, W. Hickman Ewing Jr., as a “religious fanatic who operates on the presumption of guilt.” We’re now witnessing the same character assassination against Robert Mueller.

The latest comes from radio talk show host and author Mark Levin. During an appearance on Sean Hannity, he tore into Mueller, claiming he’s more of a threat in the United States than Vladimir Putin. Watch this, and then it will get unpacked:

.@MarkLevinshow: “First of all, Robert Mueller is a greater threat to this republic and the Constitution than anything Vladimir Putin did during the campaign. And I am no fan of Vladimir Putin." pic.twitter.com/KrAFuvrk9b

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 10, 2018

The first thing Levin says after his absurd comparison to Putin is Mueller is “threatening to take down a president of the United States.” When did Robert Mueller make such a threat? I cannot recall Mueller saying anything publicly. The accusation he’s threatening to take down Trump has zero evidence to support it.

He then says Trump doesn’t need to get questioned because he’s not a witness to any crime because we “don’t know what crime they’re talking about.” Has Levin occupied another planet for the last several years? Of course, Trump is a witness. Mueller and his team have obtained indictments directly related to Russian interference in the 2016 election, and we know that Trump and Trump Jr. lied about the background of the infamous Trump Tower meeting which it turns out, had nothing to do with adoption.

Trump’s lawyers continue to reject any interview with Mueller on the basis the prosecutors will set a “perjury trap.” Granted, the term didn’t originate out of thin air, and many cases have been brought against people for lying to investigators about unrelated matters while not getting prosecuted for the actual crime under investigation. Trump’s lawyers are not concerned about the trap. They’re worried about their client’s ability to lie at the drop of a hat. They know he will not get through that interview without telling some falsehood.

Levin also says Trump cannot get questioned about his prerogatives as president, such as his termination of former F.B.I. Director James Comey. That’s true. But Trump won’t get interviewed about his actions as president but rather his activities as a candidate. 

He then goes on to accuse Mueller of wanting to “turn the country upside down” and “disenfranchise the over 60 million people who voted for this president of the United States.” It didn’t take too long for Levin to go all in on the hyperbole. It’s amusing Levin accuses Mueller of turning the country upside down — particularly in light of Trump’s near-daily attacks on Mueller, his team, Jeff Sessions, Rod Rosenstein, the Department of Justice, the CIA and the FBI. As for the disenfranchisement accusation, Levin should take a chill pill and fast.

First of all, Mueller doesn’t have the power to get Trump removed from office. Second, if for whatever reason, Trump gets impeached and convicted, his removal from office would take place under the constitution, at which point Mike Pence would take over as president. To disenfranchise voters is to deny them a right to vote. People do not have a right to their chosen candidate remaining in office his entire term. Levin should know better. The rest of the video is talk-show ranting, partisan ranting.

Even Hannity gets bored and cuts Levin off. Levin is very intelligent person with a deep knowledge of the nation’s history and constitutional foundations. One would expect Sean Hannity to talk like that because he’s a hack, nothing more. Levin should better than behave like a hack.