What's the status of legislation to protect Robert Mueller from being fired?
A top House Republican poured cold water Sunday on the possibility of Congress voting on legislation to protect Robert Mueller from being removed as the special counsel overseeing the federal investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, said there was no need for such a law.
"I don't think there's a need for legislation right now to protect Mueller," McCarthy told NBC's "Meet the Press."
Two bipartisan bills are pending in Congress that would seek to protect Mueller. Both would allow a judicial review if a special counsel is removed. One bill proposed by Sens. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, and Chris Coons, D-Delaware, for example, would allow the special counsel to challenge his or her removal in court and it would be heard by a three-judge panel. The other bill is sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, and Cory Booker, D-New Jersey.
In an interview on ABC's "This Week," Graham said Mueller is "the perfect guy" to get to the bottom of what happened.
"I think my job, among others, is to give him the space to do it. I intend to do that. I have got legislation protecting Mr. Mueller. And I'll be glad to pass it tomorrow," he said. "I see no evidence that Mr. Trump wants to fire Mr. Mueller now."
The New York Times reported on Thursday that President Trump ordered the firing of Mueller in June 2017, but eventually backed down after White House Counsel Don McGahn threatened to resign. However, sources directly involved in the deliberations told CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett that McGahn's threat was not a direct response to an order by Mr. Trump to dismiss Mueller.
White House Legislative Affairs Director Marc Short said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation," that"The president's never intimated to me in any way the desire to fire Mueller. I think that there's been a lot of sensational reporting on that."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said Friday that Democrats will try to add legislation to protect Mueller to an upcoming government funding bill, according to The New York Times.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that it "probably wouldn't hurt" for Congress to pass such a measure, but said she has faith in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to defend Mueller.
CBS News' Emily Tillett contributed to this report.