Republican leaders confident Trump won’t fire Mueller; others have doubts

WASHINGTON — Top Republican leaders on Capitol Hill expressed confidence Tuesday that special counsel Robert Mueller will be able to finish his Russia investigation unimpeded, despite President Donald Trump’s recent attacks on the probe.

The remarks from House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., come after Trump leveled the most direct criticism of Mueller and the credibility of his investigation — but has nonetheless done little to make GOP lawmakers fret publicly that the special counsel could soon be dismissed.

In a news conference Tuesday morning, Ryan said he has been assured that Mueller’s firing is not being discussed, although he declined to elaborate on who provided that assurance.

“Look, first of all, the special counsel should be free to follow through his investigation to its completion without interference, absolutely. I am confident he will be able to do that,” he said. “I have received assurances that his firing is not even under consideration. We have a system based upon rule of law in this country. We have a justice system, and no one is above that justice system.”

McConnell was equally confident when he addressed reporters Tuesday afternoon.

“I think it was an excellent appointment,” McConnell said of Mueller. “I think he will go wherever the facts lead him, and I think he will have great credibility with the American people when he reaches the conclusion of this investigation.”

That show of public confidence from the highest tiers of GOP leadership showed how Trump’s latest and most aggressive attack on the special counsel’s ongoing investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections was likely to pass with little substantive pushback from Capitol Hill.

White House officials continue to say there is no plan to fire Mueller.

There have some exceptions among congressional Republicans who have largely tried to ignore or downplay Trump’s attacks on the investigation. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said he would support impeachment proceedings against Trump if the president ends the investigation “without cause.”

“We’re begging him, ‘Don’t go down this road. Don’t create a constitutional crisis. Don’t force the Congress to take the only remedy that Congress can take,’” Flake said. “To remind the president of that is the best way to keep him from going down that road. To fire Mueller without cause, I don’t know if there is any other remedy left to the legislative branch.”