Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) continues to insist passing legislation to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation is unnecessary even though some of his colleagues and all Democrats believe otherwise.
GOP Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) will go to the Senate floor next week to try to get a vote on the bill, but is expected to be blocked from getting a vote. McConnell added Friday that "it's not going to come up because it isn't necessary."
President Trump attacked Flake on Twitter Friday just for wanting to protect the special counsel, but McConnell still insists the president has no intention of going after Mueller.
CNN:
"Like I've said before, it's not necessary. The Mueller investigation's not under threat," McConnell said. "The President said repeatedly he's not going to dismiss the Mueller investigation. He's said repeatedly it's going to be allowed to finish. That also happens to be my view."
Asked why he was so confident, McConnell said: "The President's certainly expressed his point of view about how he feels about the investigation, but as you can imagine we speak frequently. There's never been any indication that he wants to dismiss Mueller or the investigation. It's going to be allowed to finish."
McConnell's comments reflect how Senate Republicans have ignored -- or dismissed -- the growing alarm among Democrats that Whitaker was named to the post with the express purpose of interfering with the Mueller investigation. Top Republicans, including Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and Sen. Lindsey Graham, who may chair the committee in the next Congress, both have praised the Whitaker appointment. Grassley and Whitaker had a brief courtesy call on Thursday, an aide said.
At least one more Republican – Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) – is siding with Flake over McConnell, Grassley, and Graham.
“It is imperative that Special Counsel Robert Mueller be allowed to complete his investigation into Russian influence efforts during the 2016 elections," Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said in a statement on Friday.
The GOP senator, who has previously supported passing a bill to protect Mueller, added that she's concerned by comments Whitaker has made about the special counsel and the "parameters of his investigation."
“For these reasons, I believe that we should bring to the Senate floor legislation that would put restrictions on the ability of President Donald Trump to fire the Special Counsel," she said Friday. "Senate debate and passage of this bill would send a powerful message that Mr. Mueller must be able to complete his work unimpeded.”
McConnell says legislation protecting Mueller not necessary (The Hill)
Collins reiterates call for legislation to protect Mueller investigation (The Hill)
McConnell, top Republicans dismiss concerns over Whitaker appointment (CNN)