Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) says he will block bipartisan legislation intended to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired by President Trump, the Los Angeles Times reports. “I’m the one who decides what we take to the floor,” McConnell told Fox News, adding, “We will not be having this on the floor of the Senate.” McConnell said that while he wouldn’t support Mueller’s removal, he doesn’t think Trump would take that step. The president in the past has ordered aides to fire Mueller or he considered doing so. “This is a piece of legislation that’s not necessary in my judgment,” McConnell said.
Though there is debate on whether Congress can limit the president’s power over the executive branch, a bipartisan group of senators has drafted legislation that would write into law current Justice Department regulations holding that only department leaders can fire a special counsel. The bill would allow the special counsel to appeal a firing in court. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) criticized McConnell’s opposition, saying, “We ought to head off a constitutional crisis at the pass, rather than waiting until it’s too late.” Last week’s FBI seizure of records from President Trump’s personal attorney deeply rattled the president, souring him on his long-stated preference to sit down for an interview with Mueller and prompting him to renew efforts to hire more legal firepower, sources told the Washington Post. Trump’s team has contacted Robert Bonner, a former federal judge and former Customs and Border Protection commissioner, about possibly representing the president.