Jeff Flake wants Mueller protection legislation tacked onto spending plan

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.”