Trump may ‘terminate’ Mueller, friend says
• High- profile supporters of Donald Trump have begun attacking the independent investigator looking into the Russia affair, raising the question of whether the president could indeed attempt to fire him.
The sound of sharpening knives echoed everywhere Monday.
Several Trump-supporting media figures called for Robert Mueller to be fired; a Trump friend said the president was actually considering it; a Trump lawyer wouldn’t rule it out; a conservative newspaper suggested Mueller faces a conflict of interest; and a top Trump surrogate accused him of partisan bias.
A Trump friend who was spotted visiting the White House on Monday later told a PBS interviewer that the president was indeed mulling over firing Mueller. Online news mogul Chris Ruddy said: “I think he’s considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he’s weighing that option.”
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is close to Trump, tweeted: “Republicans are delusional if they think the special counsel is going to be fair. Look who he is hiring. Check (political donation) reports. Time to rethink.”
Gingrich is correct there is a certain partisan tilt to the team of top- notch investigators assembled by the ex-FBI director: Jeannie Rhee, Michael Dreeben, Andrew Weissmann and James Quarles are renowned in their fields and have made repeated donations to Democrats.
Firebrand pundit Ann Coulter urged the government to fire Mueller. She said the counsel was now pointless, as it’s become clear Trump wasn’t an initial target of the Russia investigation, which may now be expanding into new areas.
Another talk-radio Trump booster, Laura Ingraham directed her followers to a story in a conservative newspaper that suggests Mueller might be tainted.
The piece in the Washington Examiner points out his years-long friendship with a key witness, whose testimony will be especially important if the probe morphs into an obstruction-of-justice investigation into Trump. That witness: James Comey, who replaced Mueller as FBI director.
A writer for the newspaper sounded the alarm in a piece titled, “Is Robert Mueller conflicted in Trump probe?” It put the question to five lawyers who shared their assessments, anonymously. Two called the friendship with Comey improper, but manageable; two called it serious; one called it a non-issue.
Under current Justice Department regulations, any such firing of Mueller would have to be done by Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ deputy, Rod Rosenstein, not the president — though those regulations could theoretically be set aside.
Mueller is leading the investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and potential ties between Moscow and Trump’s campaign. Sessions has recused himself from the investigation.