Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein says he sees no reason to fire Robert Mueller
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said Tuesday that he sees no reason to fire Robert Mueller, the special counsel overseeing the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.
Testifying at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Rosenstein was asked if he has seen any evidence of good cause to fire Mueller.
"No, I have not," he said.
His comment comes after a friend of President Trump's, Newmax CEO Chris Ruddy, said Monday that the president is considering firing the special counsel.
Rosenstein confirmed that because Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russia probe, Rosenstein is the one who has the authority to hire and fire people. Rosenstein appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, as special counsel last month.
He assured lawmakers Tuesday that he would follow the regulation concerning the special counsel, which says that Mueller can only be fired for good cause. Rosenstein said he has not discussed the appointment of Mueller with Mr. Trump.
Rosenstein was then asked what he would do if Mr. Trump ordered him to fire the special counsel.
"Senator, I'm not going to follow any orders unless I believe those are lawful and appropriate," he said.
On Monday, Ruddy told PBS NewsHour, ""I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel."
Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, reacted to the reports Tuesday and said that Mueller should be allowed to continue pursuing the investigation independently and thoroughly.
"I think the best advice would be to let Robert Mueller do his job," Ryan said.