Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday he’ll block a new effort to bring up legislation that would prevent President Trump from firing special counsel Robert Mueller.
“This is a solution in search of a problem,” said the Kentucky Republican. “The president is not going to fire Bob Mueller, nor do I think he should, nor do I think he should not be allowed to finish. We have a lot of things to do to finish up this year without taking votes on things that are completely irrelevant to outcomes.”
McConnell spoke after Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Chris Coons, D-Del., announced they will attempt to bring up the measure this week after an attempt failed on Nov. 14. The two senators asked the Senate for unanimous consent to pass the bill, and McConnell objected, which killed it.
McConnell said he’ll do it again if Flake and Coons try again.
“I probably would,” McConnell said when asked if he would again block the measure.
Earlier in the day, Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said on the Hugh Hewitt radio program that McConnell might allow the resolution to come to the floor to appease Flake, who is withholding support for judicial nominations in a bid to get a vote on the Mueller bill.
Flake tweeted his intention to bring up the measure on Wednesday.
“Special counsel Mueller must be allowed to finish his investigation,” Flake said on twitter. “Tomorrow, Sen. @ChrisCoons and I will again call for unanimous consent to bring S. 2644, which will protect the Special Counsel, to the Senate floor for a vote.”
