Retiring Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said Sunday he supports attempts to tie his bill protecting special counsel Robert Mueller to spending legislation after announcing last week he would oppose President Trump’s judicial nominations until his initiative is considered by the Senate.
“I would sure like to see it as part of the spending plan because that will make it law,” Flake said during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “The first step has to be having this bill that has already passed the Judiciary Committee and is awaiting action on the floor of the Senate, to have that pass. It will pass with a pretty big majority. If we could do that first, there’s a far greater likelihood that it will be attached to the spending bill.”
Flake is one of several senators, most of them Democrats, who have expressed concerns about how Trump forcing the resignation of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions will have implications for Mueller’s federal Russia investigation. They have expressed doubts about acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who has been vocal in his criticism of the Mueller probe, suggesting it has breached its scope and should have its funding cut.
[Read: New acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker now overseeing Mueller investigation: 6 things to know]
The bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by Flake, would shield Mueller from being dismissed without the possibility of review. Despite support from members of both parties, it has been blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., because he and other prominent Republican lawmakers have deemed it unnecessary.
Meanwhile, Congress must pass spending legislation during the lame-duck session to avoid another partial federal government shutdown.
“How in the world my colleagues don’t see this as priority now, I just don’t understand,” Flake said Sunday. “It does need to come to the Senate floor, and I think it is worth using a little leverage here.”
