New poll suggests Trump's attacks on the Russia probe and the FBI are having an unexpected effect on voters from both parties
- A new poll finds most Americans want to see special counsel Robert Mueller complete the Russia investigation.
- The NPR/PBS News Hour/Marist poll published on Wednesday reports that, among national registered voters, 69% say Mueller - whose team of prosecutors is trying to make sense of Russia's interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign was involved - should be allowed to finish their work.
- When broken down by party, a majority of both Republicans and Democrats expressed the same sentiments.
- The poll released on Wednesday also found a majority of registered voters have some level of confidence in the FBI, despite repeated attacks on the agency from Trump and his allies.
A new poll published Wednesday finds that a majority of Americans believe Robert Mueller, the special counsel overseeing the Russia probe, should be allowed to complete the investigation.
The NPR/PBS News Hour/Marist poll shows that 69% of national registered voters believe Mueller should see the Russia investigation through until it's complete. When broken down by party, a majority of both Republicans (59%) and Democrats (76%) said the same.
Mueller and his investigative team are trying to make sense of Russia's interference in the 2016 election. US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia engaged in a wide-ranging influence campaign to swing the election in Trump's favor and hurt Hillary Clinton.
Among other things, Mueller is also looking into whether the Trump campaign cooperated with Russia, and whether Trump, after he took office, tried to obstruct justice by firing FBI director James Comey last spring.
The investigation has caused deep rifts among Democratic and Republican lawmakers. A group of Republicans who strongly support Trump have escalated their attacks on Mueller and the investigation at large. Some have called for Mueller to be fired.
Trump's allies have also echoed his fiery public attacks on the FBI, which critics have warned could undermine the agency's credibility.
The NPR/PBS News Hour/Marist poll posed that question to voters in its January 17 poll, asking whether they have any confidence in the FBI. According to the survey, 57% of national registered voters said they have some level of confidence in the FBI - either a "great deal of confidence," or "quite a lot," as the survey characterized it.
Among Democrats, a combined 63% said they either had a great deal, or quite a lot of confidence in the FBI. A combined 54% of Republicans who were surveyed said the same.
Voters from both parties diverged most notably when asked whether they viewed Mueller favorably or unfavorably. Just 15% of Republicans said they viewed Mueller favorably versus 49% of Democrats who were surveyed.