Special counsel Robert Mueller "exceeded his authority" by indicting ex-Trump campaign aide Rick Gates and campaign manager Paul Manafort, former Justice Department prosecutor Larry Klayman said Friday.
In an interview on Newsmax TV's "Newsmax Now," the conservative Freedom Watch founder said Gates' guilty plea Friday to conspiracy and lying is concerning — but "could be knocked out."
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"The bottom line is that Mueller doesn't have authority to indict Manafort or Gates," Klayman said, arguing the alleged crimes cover time the pair were not involved with the election campaign of President Donald Trump.
"He exceeded his authority," Klayman said, adding: "There is a chance this could be knocked out. The whole thing may go down the drain for Mueller."
"Mueller doesn't even the authority over many" of those who are coming under his investigative team's scrutiny, Klayman declared.
He also decried that Trump "is being smeared and destroyed even before he's had his day in court."
"I should be named special counsel," he said, noting he's assembling a petition to do just that. "Special counsel Mueller should be investigated."
"It's evil what's going on here," he said. "I never saw dishonesty to this extent."
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