- Title: Senate panel eyes bill to ensure that Trump cannot fire special counsel
- Date: 11th April 2018
- Summary: HAMBURG, GERMANY (FILE - JULY 7, 2017) (HOST BROADCASTER POOL) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SPEAKING, SHAKING HANDS WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN
- Embargoed: 25th April 2018 19:15
- Keywords: Russia Trump Senate Mueller Rosenstein Department of Justice
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C.; BETHESDA, MARYLAND; UNITED STATES;HAMBURG GERMANY
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C.; BETHESDA, MARYLAND; UNITED STATES;HAMBURG GERMANY
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0078AZLZ5Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: On Wednesday (April 11) a Senate panel prepared to take up a bill that would ensure that President Donald Trump he cannot fire a special counsel investigating Russian election meddling.
Trump's simmering anger at Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose federal probe includes looking into possible collusion with Russia by Trump's presidential campaign, erupted again this week after an FBI raid on Monday targeted the president's personal attorney, Michael Cohen.
Lawmakers, including senior members of Trump's own Republican Party, have expressed concern after the president suggested he might remove Mueller when news of the FBI searches in New York emerged. The searches followed a referral by the special counsel.
On Wednesday, four senators introduced a bill that would protect the office of the special counsel, merging two different proposals. The proposed legislation would add the weight of law to current Justice Department regulations that govern the office of special counsel.
However, it was unclear if the proposal would garner the votes needed in the Republican-controlled Congress. Senator John Thune, a junior member of the Senate leadership, said he did not think it could muster the needed 60 votes to clear procedural floor votes in the Senate.
Reports have circulated for months that Trump is also considering firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein took over responsibility for the Russia probe and appointed Mueller last May after Sessions, who was a Trump adviser during the 2016 campaign, recused himself. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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