U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Lindsey Graham moved Thursday to prevent President Donald Trump from dismissing special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible ties between his campaign and Russia.
Booker (D-N.J.), who has called for an independent outside investigation, and Graham (R-S.C.), who did not endorse the Republican presidential nominee after his own campaign for the White House fizzled, introduced legislation to block such a move.
The Special Counsel Independence Protection Act would let the attorney general remove the special only after asking a federal court to rule that there was "misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or other good cause for removal."
A look at the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump and whether his campaign colluded with Russia.
"A special counsel's duty is to follow the facts and the law wherever that leads," Booker said. "They should never be subjected to interference or intimidation because of where an investigation takes them."
The lawmakers acted amid criticism by Trump leveled against his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who recused him from any involvement in the probe after it was disclosed that he met with the Russian ambassador during the campaign after telling the Senate Judiciary Committee that he had no such contacts.
Read more: Booker acts to prevent Trump from firing special counsel
