x
Breaking News
More () »

Senate Republicans may allow vote on bill to protect Mueller's job, No. 2 GOP leader says

Sen. John Cornyn signaled a potential change in the position of Republican leaders who have previously rejected a push by outgoing Republican Sen. Jeff Flake to allow a vote on the Mueller legislation.
Credit: AFP Contributor
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, special counsel on the Russian investigation, leaves following a meeting with members of the US Senate Judiciary Committee at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on June 21, 2017.

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate Republican, held open the possibility Tuesday that the Senate might take up legislation that would protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired by President Donald Trump.

Cornyn's comment, made on conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt's radio show, signaled a potential change in the position of Republican leaders who have previously rejected a push by outgoing Republican Sen. Jeff Flake to allow a vote on the Mueller legislation.

Flake has threatened to oppose Trump's judicial nominees unless the Senate holds a vote on the Mueller bill. That could set up a hurdle for the nominees since the Arizona Republican senator sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee where Republicans have a narrow 11-10 majority.

“We’ve got some judges on the calendar now that we can pass even if we don’t have Senator Flake’s support. But we can’t get them out of the Judiciary Committee, so we’re going to be working with Senator Flake to see what he needs in order to lift his hold,” Cornyn said. “There is a possibility we will have a vote on the Mueller, so-called Mueller protection bill.”

Mitch McConnell’s office declined to respond to Cornyn’s comments, but spokesman David Popp pointed USA TODAY to previous statements the majority leader had made saying the bill was not necessary because the president would not fire Mueller.

Even if the bill did come up, it is unclear if there would be enough votes for it to pass.

Contributing: Bart Jansen

Before You Leave, Check This Out