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Republican U.S. senators urge Congress to revisit bill to protect Mueller

 

FILE PHOTO: Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs after briefing members of the U.S. Senate on his investigation into potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress should revisit proposed legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller after President Donald Trump tried to fire him last year while he investigated the Trump campaign's ties with Russia, two Republican senators said on Sunday.

 

In separate television interviews, Senators Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham expressed dismay at reports the Republican president had told the top White House lawyer to order U.S. Justice Department officials to fire Mueller.

 

"I’ve got legislation protecting Mr. Mueller, and I’d be glad to pass it tomorrow," Graham told the ABC News "This Week" program.

 

On CNN's "State of the Union," Collins said: "It certainly wouldn’t hurt to put that extra safeguard in place, given the latest stories."

 

Tensions over Mueller's probe are hovering over Trump's year-old presidency as he prepares to give his first State of the Union Address on Tuesday.

 

The New York Times reported on Thursday that Trump ordered White House counsel Donald McGahn to fire Mueller in June but backed down after McGahn threatened to resign rather than carry out the order.

 

McGahn was "fed up" after Trump's order, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. He did not issue an ultimatum directly to the president but told then-White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and then-chief strategist Steve Bannon that he wanted to quit, the source said.

 

Graham and three Democratic senators introduced legislation last August that would protect special counsels, including Mueller, by requiring that a panel of federal judges review any action to remove them.

 

The likelihood that such a bill would become law have seemed remote. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have shown little enthusiasm for the idea.

 

"I don't think there's a need for legislation right now to protect Mueller," House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. "The president and his team have fully cooperated" with the special counsel, he said.

 

Republicans hold the majority in both the House and Senate.

 

Mueller is investigating whether Trump associates and the Kremlin colluded during the 2016 presidential election. Russia denies such collusion, and Trump frequently denounces the probe as a "witch hunt."

 

Both Collins and Graham said they saw no sign that Trump is currently trying to fire Mueller.

 

"I think what happened here is the president had a bad idea," Collins said. "He talked with his counsel, who explained to an angry and frustrated president why it was a bad idea."

 

Graham said: "It's pretty clear to me everyone in the White House knows it’d be the end of President Trump’s presidency if he tried to fire Mr. Mueller."

 

(Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaled and Caren Bohan Writing by Warren Strobel Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-01-29

 

[selftaopath]

Republican Congress has demonstrated repeatedly how spineless they are. The are more loyal to Putin than the U.S. Constitution. They are not doing their job under the Constitution; allow the would be dictator to dismantle U.S. rule of law/democracy and the very fabric of our American culture of moral leadership and honesty. They will allow Trump to eventually declare martial law and postpone elections. It's coming people. Lies and Liars are the enemy of the people. Trump and his regime are liars.

 

They have yet to safeguard our future elections or punish Russia for it's blatant "act of war" i.e. meddling in our elections. They (IMO) are traitors. 

 

[stevenl]

" "I don't think there's a need for legislation right now to protect Mueller," House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. "The president and his team have fully cooperated" with the special counsel, he said. "

 

Irresponsible reasoning. To prevent future problems laws should be enacted now, governing means looking ahead.

[riclag]

The AG(Rosenstien) has the constitutional authority to fire Mueller,but the investigation will go on with someone in his place. Somehow the GOP memo is going to discredit the whole entire investigation! It seems to me that it could force the firing of Rosenstien for abusing the powers of his office in gathering FISA Intel.

This is all coming to a head ,it seems so clear that the GOP memo will discredit the investigation ,setting a showdown for the interview with the POTUS. The trap will be sprung,impeachment will be talked about but the court of public opinion will be on POTUS side,hence not enough votes for impeachment.  

Edited January 29, 2018 by riclag

[Scott]

Off-topic post and reply removed.  

[selftaopath]

13 hours ago, stevenl said:

" "I don't think there's a need for legislation right now to protect Mueller," House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. "The president and his team have fully cooperated" with the special counsel, he said. "

 

Irresponsible reasoning. To prevent future problems laws should be enacted now, governing means looking ahead.

I don't believe this is being irresponsible. I think it is a well thought out strategy. They will not safeguard the investigation; when the would be dictator stops it his Republican regime will bemoan the fact/ delay/ debate/ wring their hands and wait for the American people to "calm down." Then it will be game over/ mission accomplished and one step closer to totally destroying U.S. democracy and having a one party rule. That's what Republicans want. They want to RULE e.g. gerrymandering/voter suppression/ etc. They will all get on their knees in front of their messiah with their mouths open no doubt. 

 

Just think.... America has been destroy mainly from within but certainly with a lot of help from Russia. May the traitors someday get what they deserve.

 

[selftaopath]

Congress is obstructing justice. They are complicate with Trump and his Russian allies. Our democracy is being destroyed and this Congress is part of the destructive force. This is not going to end well.