Residents of Ames and the surrounding area came together on Thursday night on the steps of the Ames post office to declare their support for Robert Mueller, a man leading the special investigation on Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Worried that the president might try to interfere with the investigation, their message was simple: no one is above the law.

Around 60 to 70 people showed up on a cold weeknight carrying banners and American flags to show their disapproval at the recent appointment of Matthew Whitaker to attorney general after the resignation of Jeff Sessions.

Whitaker has raised concerns among the protesters because of his statements saying that the president’s campaign had not colluded with Russia in the 2016 election. Beyond this, some are concerned about how he wasn’t confirmed by the Senate and is thus unconstitutionally appointed.

Many signs were present and had common themes including “Protect Robert Mueller” and “No American is above the law.” One man, David Russell was carrying a large American flag on a pole and voiced his concerns over Mueller being fired. “The rule of law is at stake. Can one man jail his political enemies?”

The protesters engaged in various chants including “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Whitaker has got to go!” and “We want justice.” Cars would drive by and honk support causing the people to cheer.

Local teacher and activist Aaron Lynch said that although he is concerned about the personal views of the new attorney general, he doesn’t see him as a legitimate officeholder.

“It’s clear that Trump has appointed a new acting attorney general unconstitutionally and any orders from that acting attorney general are unconstitutional,” Lynch said.

Lynch says that the president should remove Whitaker and appoint Rod Rosenstein, a Republican who could have bipartisan support. He said that Rosenstein has handled the investigation well and wasn’t too extreme for either side.

Sarah Meisch, 21, a junior at Iowa State agrees that the current situation is a problem. In her mind, the investigation on Russia is past the point of no return and that answers have been found but haven’t been released yet. When asked about why answers may not be available she said, “I do think that this is obstruction of justice.”

The protests signifies the conversation about the investigation led by Robert Mueller and how it is not over despite other issues happening in the country right now. Several protesters declared that they didn’t want a certain outcome even though they have their suspicions, they just want the truth.

The president’s unconstitutional and unconventional appointment of Matthew Whitaker is adding tension to a situation that is already energized. The protesters said that this is one more problem that will make the truth harder to discover.

“It’s not a question of politics … It’s a question of we want to find the truth and make sure our elections have integrity,” Lynch said. 

Editors note: The last quote of this article was originally attributed to Whitaker, when it was Aaron Lynch who said it during the protest.