Bill to Protect Special Counsel Mueller Is Headed for a Committee Vote

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/us/politics/special-counsel-mueller-legislation-vote.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fpolitics&mtrref=www.nytimes.com

 

The committee’s chairman, Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, was seeking expedited consideration of the bill that would have allowed for a vote as soon as next week. That pace was slowed somewhat by Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, his Democratic counterpart, who said the committee needed another week to review an amendment Mr. Grassley planned to offer.

The chairman’s request came as many Republicans continue to say that no legislative action is necessary, despite continuing threats from President Trump against Mr. Mueller and senior Justice Department officials. Republican leaders have steadfastly maintained that Mr. Trump knows the consequences of firing Mr. Mueller too well to do so.

But Republicans are under pressure to shift their stance. Even if the legislation never passes Congress, a bipartisan committee vote would send a signal to Mr. Trump and push Republican leaders to respond.

The compromise bill, written by Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, both Republicans, and Chris Coons of Delaware and Cory Booker of New Jersey, both Democrats, would enact a statute codifying an existing Justice Department regulation that says a special counsel may be fired only by the attorney general, and only for good cause, like misconduct.