Senate Republicans returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday bombarded by questions about special counsel Robert Mueller and his new boss, acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. didn’t talk about ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions — who was once his colleague on the Senate Judiciary Committee — but instead said he would like there to be a Senate-confirmed attorney general “sooner rather than later.”
When asked if he was “confident” that Whitaker would properly oversee Mueller’s ongoing investigation, Graham said he felt “good about that” and talked with him on Friday.
Whitaker took over Sessions’ job last week, and now oversees Mueller’s investigation.
[More: Maryland challenges Whitaker’s appointment as acting AG]
Democrats are worried that Whitaker’s prior critical comments about Mueller’s investigation, including how to curb it, means he will do so at the direction of Trump, who was outspoken in his criticism of Sessions for recusing himself.
But Graham told reporters he doesn’t “see any movement to get rid of Mueller.”
Graham committed to voting for legislation to protect Mueller, but said it didn’t matter if the next attorney general nominee commits to protecting him or not.
“Hopefully Mueller will wrap up here fairly soon, thing’s been going for a very long time. I think we’re at the very end here,” he said.
But Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, was more direct about a nomination.
“I can’t imagine somebody being confirmed without making a commitment,” that they won’t mess with Mueller’s inquiry, the Texas Republican told reporters.
He didn’t mention his former colleague Sessions either.
Cornyn said he wasn’t worried about Whitaker’s comments, because he won’t be in the position for that long — but that underscores the necessity for a permanent attorney general.
“So I would encourage the White House to send us over a name and let us begin that process,” said Cornyn. “I think that the Mueller investigation is probably winding down and it should, everything that could be discovered I think has been discovered. Everybody that has committed a crime has been indicted and or convicted. He needs to get the report to Congress so we don’t have to duplicate all his investigations.”
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., agreed: “I really don’t think that he’s going to be there for that long. […] I really don’t expect the president will leave him there for that length of time before he nominates someone.”
“There are 51 individuals making darn sure that the Mueller investigation moves forward and is completed,” he said.
Earlier Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein — the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee — demanded that Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., hold a hearing with both Whitaker and Sessions.
The Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel is expected to release an opinion on Wednesday defending Whitaker’s appointment.
