A bipartisan pair of senators urged President Trump on Tuesday to allow special counsel Robert Mueller, who is spearheading the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, to “complete his work without impediment.”
While Trump has repeatedly condemned Mueller’s operation, and reportedly even ordered Mueller’s firing before backing off, the special counsel’s operation has gone on for more than a year. Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Chris Coons, D-Del., want to ensure that the investigation remain unhindered.
“We have heard from constituents — Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike — who agree that Special Counsel Robert Mueller should be able to conduct his investigation without interference,” the pair said in a statement. “This should not be a partisan issue.”
In August, the two senators introduced the Special Counsel Integrity Act, which would permit the special counsel, if removed, to challenge the removal in court. The measure also states that a special counsel could only be removed from his or her post in the event of misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or another “good cause.”
The bill also “ensures” the attorney general has the sole authority to remove or penalize the special counsel; or in the in the event that the attorney general has recused him- or herself from the probe, as Attorney General Jeff Sessions has done with the Russia inquiry, the removal would come from the most senior DOJ official.
“We introduced the Special Counsel Integrity Act because we believe that the American people should have confidence in the Department of Justice’s ability to conduct independent investigations and its commitment to the rule of law,” the senators said. “We urge President Trump to allow the Special Counsel to complete his work without impediment, which is in the best interest of the American people, the President, and our nation.”
The bill never made it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Trump has long called Mueller’s investigation a “witch hunt” and earlier this month accused the investigation of being unfair.
“Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added…does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!” he said in one tweet.
Despite the tough talk, the White House has maintained that there has been no conversations about firing Mueller.
“There are no conversations or discussions about removing Mr. Mueller,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told reporters earlier this month.
Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin.
