Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is wrong to prevent the Senate from voting on a bill that would protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired by President Trump.
It’s relevant because a bipartisan group of senators led by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., on the Republican side, and Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Chris Coons, D-Del., on the Democratic side have put forward a bill that would prevent Trump from firing Mueller on a whim.
But speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, McConnell said that the bill is “unnecessary,” continuing that “there’s no indication that Mueller’s going to get fired. I don’t think that the president’s going to do that.”
Really? Then why does the president keep hinting at doing just that while reminding us that he has the power to do so?
McConnell knows full well that the president might fire Mueller in short order. But McConnell also knows that the moment he admits as much, he’ll have very little excuse for not taking the bipartisan bill to the floor.
Still, McConnell has another excuse for his inaction: “And just as a practical matter even if we passed it, why would he sign it?” he asked Fox News host Neil Cavuto.
McConnell has a half-point here. But only a half-point.
After all, Trump’s veto would only be relevant if the House and Senate could not muster two thirds majority votes in favor of it. Assuming that all Democrats vote in favor of the bill, there should be enough Republicans who care about the rule of law to see the bill passed into law.
Another thing: By simply holding this vote, the Senate might well discourage Trump from firing Mueller, in case he really feels tempted to do it.
McConnell concluded by telling Cavuto that he intends to bring only those bills to the floor which can help Republicans in “moving the ball toward the goal line.”
I’m sorry, senator, but if you don’t believe in the rule of law then you have no place in playing the political game. McConnell should remember his oath on entering the Senate in 1985 to “well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.”
He has a duty to bring this bill to a Senate vote.
