Back off Mueller Senate duo calls for...

Bipartisan Senate duo calls on Trump to back off Mueller

By ELANA SCHOR

A Republican senator behind a bill to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller's job joined his Democratic co-author on Tuesday in a bipartisan call for President Donald Trump to let Mueller's investigation proceed "without impediment."

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) aligned with Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) after weeks of downplaying the need for quick passage of their legislation designed to shield Mueller from being fired by Trump, who has repeatedly expressed frustration with the ongoing probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Tillis and Coons' move comes one week after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) delivered their own gestures of support for Mueller — while not endorsing legislation to protect his work.

“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," Tillis and Coons said in their joint statement. "This should not be a partisan issue."

Notably, the two senators defended the rationale behind their bill but put the onus on Trump to let Mueller continue rather than demand congressional leadership take up their legislation.

"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," they added.

The Tillis-Coons bill, which gives special counsels the power to contest their firing after the fact, still must be merged with a competing measure from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) before the Senate Judiciary Committee can consider it. The Judiciary panel's chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), has yet to publicly support either version pending ongoing talks on combining the plans.

Soon after Tillis and Coons' statement on Tuesday, nine of the 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee released letters to five Department of Justice officials who would take on a more prominent role in overseeing Mueller's probe if Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein — who has defended the special counsel — is fired or resigns.

The letter, spearheaded by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), seeks "a written and public commitment" from the five officials "that you will not interfere in the Special Counsel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, possible collusion with such meddling by the Trump campaign, efforts to obstruct justice, and any related inquiry."

Sen. Amy Klobuchar's (D-Minn.) signature was not on the letter, but her office noted that she has publicly supported the goals of the Mueller-protection effort.