Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday the Senate will not take up legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller.
McConnell told Fox News that despite bipartisan legislation from Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., protection for Mueller remains unnecessary and confirmed that he will not bring the bill up to the floor for a vote.
“That’s not necessary,” McConnell said. “There’s no indication that Mueller’s going to be fired. I don’t think the president’s going to do that.”
“I’m the one who decides what we take to the floor,” McConnell said. “That’s my responsibility as majority leader, and we will not be having this on the floor of the Senate.”
McConnell argued that even if it did pass the Senate, Trump would not sign it, rendering it unnecessary.
“Just as a practical matter, even if we passed it, why would he sign it?” McConnell said. “This is a piece of legislation that’s not necessary in my judgment.”
McConnell’s comments come over a week after the president floated the idea of firing Mueller after the FBI raided the office of Michael Cohen, his personal attorney, at the request of the special counsel’s office.
The president’s comments forced two bills — one by Tillis and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., and another by Graham and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. — to be merged into one, which was introduced last Wednesday.
