Congress moves to make Mueller fire-proof
WASHINGTON — As lawmakers work to craft bipartisan legislation that would block President Trump from firing special counsel Robert Mueller, Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed to stay on the job despite a flurry of public attacks from the president.
The bill’s chief architect, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), warned that firing Mueller, who is heading up an investigation into Russian meddling and potential collusion with members of Trump’s campaign team, “could be the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency.”
Graham also warned Trump not to oust Sessions, who has drawn Trump’s open condemnation for recusing himself from the ongoing Russia probe. Graham and others say they fear firing Sessions would be the first step in a White House attempt to install a new attorney general who would fire Mueller.
“If Jeff Sessions is fired, there will be holy hell to pay,” Graham said yesterday.
The bill would create a three-judge judicial review process for any decision to fire any special counsel investigating a president or presidential aides.
Meanwhile, Sessions said he has no intention of resigning.
“If he wants to make a change, he has every right,” Sessions said yesterday. “I serve at the pleasure of the president. I’ve understood that from the day I took the job.”
Acknowledging “it hasn’t been my best week ... for my relationship with the president,” Sessions said, “I believe we are running a great Department of Justice. I believe with great confidence that I understand what is needed in the Department of Justice and what President Trump wants. I share his agenda.”