Today marked three strikes for Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) who are trying to get a floor vote on a bipartisan bill that would protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his Russia investigation.
Twice in November, Republicans blocked [Flake's] request to pass a bill that would only allow Mueller to be fired for good cause, and not for political reasons.
On Wednesday, Flake tried again by asking senators to agree unanimously to pass the same bill. But Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said quickly, "I object," which blocked the move.
[The legislation] would ensure that the special counsel could only be fired for good cause by a senior Justice Department official and would give the special counsel the ability to ask for an expedited review of his or her firing.
“The continuity of this investigation is critical to upholding public trust in our institutions of government,” Flake, who is retiring, said on the Senate floor. “This is not a witch hunt. Russia attempted to interfere in our elections...we are seeking truth here and that’s what the special counsel is doing.”
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said there's no need for legislation protecting the special counsel, calling the bill “a solution in search of a problem.”
In response to Republican leadership’s reluctance to bring the bill to a vote, Flake vowed to block all judicial nominees in committee and on the floor during the lame duck session.
Flake’s blockade contributed to the downfall of Trump judicial nominee Thomas Farr to a North Carolina district court as well as the cancellation of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on nominees.
Senate GOP blocks Mueller protection bill for third time (Politico)
Jeff Flake strikes out: Senate blocks his third push to protect Robert Mueller (Washington Examiner)