Reuters
WASHINGTON — The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday his panel would take up a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being dismissed without cause, the first major congressional action designed to protecting the integrity of the criminal investigation into Russian activity during the 2016 election.
A spokesman for Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, said that he would put a bipartisan bill that would prevent Mueller from being dismissed without cause on the committee’s agenda. It is expected to be considered, debated and amended next week, which would set up a vote on the measure on April 26.
Grassley’s move was unexpected and comes as President Donald Trump has voiced increasing anger at the direction of the investigation. Earlier this week, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents searched the office, home and hotel room of Trump’s longtime lawyer Michael Cohen and seized records including those related to a payment to a former adult-film actress.
Members of Congress in both parties have grown increasingly alarmed that Trump would take action against Mueller, whose investigation he has repeatedly called a “witch hunt,” asserting there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 campaign. Russia has denied meddling in the election.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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