Speed Reads

trump-mueller

Senators release bipartisan statement telling Trump to let Mueller do his job

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) released a statement Tuesday urging President Trump to let Special Counsel Robert Mueller "complete his work without impediment, which is in the best interest of the American people, the president, and our nation."

Tillis and Coons said they have heard from Republican, Democratic, and independent constituents "who agree that Special Counsel Robert Mueller should be able to conduct his investigation without interference. This should not be a partisan issue." The senators have written a bill that gives special counsels the ability to contest their firing after it happens, Politico reports, but for the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider it, the measure needs to be merged with a similar bill from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

Also on Tuesday, in an effort spearheaded by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), nine of the 10 Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee signed letters sent to five Justice Department officials seeking "a written and public commitment" that should Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein be fired or resign, they "will not interfere in the special counsel's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, possible collusion with such meddling by the Trump campaign, efforts to obstruct justice, and any related inquiry."