Legislation to protect Mueller 'not necessary,' McConnell says

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told Fox News Tuesday that legislation designed to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being dismissed by President Trump was “not necessary” and would not be brought to the Senate floor.

“There’s no indication that Mueller’s going to be fired,” McConnell told “Your World with Neil Cavuto.” “I don’t think the president’s going to do that and just as a practical matter, even if we passed [the bill], why would he sign it?”

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote later this month on a measure that would enshrine in law Justice Department regulations saying that a special counsel can only be fired for good cause and by an senior Justice Department official.

“I’m the one who decides what [legislation] we take to the floor,” McConnell said. “That’s my responsibility as the majority leader. We’ll not be having this on the floor of the Senate.”

McConnell told Cavuto that he would be shocked if Trump fired the special counsel, who is investigating contacts between Russian officials and Trump’s campaign.

The majority leader also predicted that November’s midterm election would be a “referendum” on tax reform passed last year on the strength of Republican votes.

“[The Democrats] want to take this to the American people and we’re happy to do that,to see whether the American people think it’s a good idea for us to let them keep more of their hard-earned money,” McConnell said, later adding, “I think it really kind of sums up the major differences between the parties these days.”

McConnell also shrugged off the idea that Trump would be a detriment to Republicans on the campaign trail, saying “we’d like to make the election about [the president] in Montana, North Dakota, Missouri, Indiana and West Virginia.

“There’s no question, and the Democrats would even concede this, that the president would be an asset [in those states],” McConnell said.

The majority leader came out strongly against attempts by Trump and House Republicans to cut some spending from the $1.3 trillion budget bill signed last month.

“Well, he agreed to it. He was involved in the negotiation and signed the bill,” McConnell told Cavuto. “He can’t make an agreement one month and say, ‘OK, we really didn’t mean it,’ and come back the next month and say, ‘Oh, we really didn’t mean our agreement.'”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.