ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Republican and Democratic senators said Tuesday [9-26-17] they would remain vigilant to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired, even as President Donald Trump has slightly lowered the temperature about his discontent over the Russia probe.
Two bills introduced in August are designed to safeguard the independent prosecutor, whose investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election has roused Trump’s public and private frustration. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) have proposed allowing a special counsel to contest any termination after the fact, while another bill from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) would require the Justice Department to seek judicial approval before any firing.
After a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday on the constitutionality of the two proposals, Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said he doesn’t ‘know yet’ whether he’s prepared to support either bill and plans to gauge the ‘consensus’ on his panel.
The urgency of movement on the two Mueller bills appears to have waned somewhat. Trump has reportedly fumed in recent days about Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recusal from the Russia probe, which he has said led to Mueller’s appointment, but discussions at the White House over potentially terminating the special counsel appear to have quieted.”
-Elana Schor and Darren Samuelson, “Senators say they’ll protect Mueller if Trump’s Russia ire heats up,” Politico, Sept. 26, 2017 01:42pm