US facing ‘Watergate moment’ amid Cohen and Manafort crisis, Democrat Senator says

The US is "in a Watergate moment" according to a senior Democrat, amid the crisis of a guilty plea and guilty verdict for two of Donald Trump's associates on the same day.

Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said that both Democrats and Republicans should do all they can to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe and the threat of possible pardons from the president.

"We're in a Watergate moment. We need bipartisanship now more than ever to protect the special counsel and to stop, and I must underscore stop, any consideration of pardons," he told CNN, evoking a comparison to the scandal that engulfed Richard Nixon's presidency.

There has been speculation Mr Trump could pardon his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was found guilty of eight of 18 counts of tax and bank fraud, and possibly also his former personal attorney Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to eight counts including campaign finance violations that implicated the president. It appears as though Mr Trump is less likely to pardon Mr Cohen, who claimed he broke the

Mr Blumenthal said he expected a "firestorm of resistance" from the president and the White House but wanted Republicans to join in to protect the job of Mr Mueller who leads the federal investigation into Russian election meddling and any possible collusion between the president's 2016 campaign team and Russian officials.

Mr Trump tweeted "it anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don’t retain the services of Michael Cohen!" but also wrote that Mr Cohen pleaded "guilty to two counts of campaign finance violations that are not a crime. President Obama had a big campaign finance violation and it was easily settled!" He did clarify what matter of Barack Obama's to which he was referring.

Regarding Mr Manafort, a pardon may be more likely in that case. The president tweeted he felt "very badly" for his former campaign manager and claimed the special prosecutor "applied tremendous pressure on him and, unlike Michael Cohen, he refused to “break” - make up stories in order to get a “deal.” Such respect for a brave man!"

Mr Blumenthal thought a pardon would "so undermine the credibility of his office that it would be a disaster for the nation" despite the fact none of the charges against Mr Manafort are directly related to the 2016 campaign.

"It would very possibly be an obstruction of justice because he would be misusing that power to protect himself as a target of that investigation," the senator said, adding Republicans will have to stand up to the leader of their party.