Senators move to protect Mueller

Four U.S. senators will introduce legislation on Wednesday to protect special counsel Robert Mueller’s job amid threats from the White House that President Donald Trump could fire him. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Cory Booker of New Jersey said in a statement the bill would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek expedited judicial review of a firing. Since Monday’s FBI raid of the office of Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, the president has called the investigation led by Mueller a “witch hunt,” and “never ending and corrupt.” White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday said Trump administration officials have explored the president’s authority to fire Mueller: “He certainly believes he has the power to do so.” Graham said in a statement that the purpose of the bill is to ensure a special counsel is not fired for political reasons. “I think this will serve the country well,” he said.