A handful of Republican congressmen have attached their names to a bill that would fortify Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s position against any attempt by President Trump to remove him.
Pennsylvania representative Charlie Dent, who will retire from Congress within weeks, introduced the bill on Friday. By Tuesday, Dent’s fellow Pennsylvania Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick and Ryan Costello backed the bill, along with Florida Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. North Carolina Republican Walter Jones — who, like Dent and Ros-Lehtinen, will not seek re-election in November — signed onto a version of the bill introduced by Democrats last week.
The bill provides for an “expedited judicial review” within ten days of Mueller’s hypothetical firing to ascertain whether he was fired with “good cause.” If that review determines he was not, he would be allowed to continue the investigation. The legislation also mandates that only a senior Justice Department official can fire Mueller.
Reports swirled recently that Trump was twice prevented from firing Mueller when his advisers and attorneys warned against it. GOP leaders, however, have tried to soothe nerves, claiming that any legislation to protect Mueller would be redundant.
“We do not believe that he should be fired. We do not believe he will be fired,” Speaker Paul Ryan said on Tuesday.
The House bill is unlikely to pass, but the Senate is considering an identical bill, backed by Republicans Lindsey Graham and Thom Tillis, with a slightly better chance of success. The Senate Judiciary Committee may push the bill forward this week, though Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has downplayed the notion that it will get a floor vote.
Some Republican lawmakers — including Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, a fierce Trump critic — have expressed doubt about the constitutionality of the legislation backed by Tillis and Graham. Meanwhile, many Democrats, including senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Chris Coons of Delaware, are on board with the legislation.