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Feinstein: Trump Can’t Fire Mueller

Rosenstein, Sessions agree that only Rosenstein can fire Mueller, and only with ‘good cause’

Washington—Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement on the potential firing of Special Counsel Robert Mueller:

“Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein cemented a very important point during his testimony this morning: The president cannot fire special counsel Bob Mueller.

“Section 600.7 of Title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations states the attorney general may remove a special counsel ‘for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or for other good cause.’

“As Rosenstein said, because of the Sessions recusal, ‘The chain of command for the special counsel is only directly to the attorney general, or in this case the acting attorney general.’

“Rosenstein went on to testify that there is currently no ‘good cause’ for firing Mueller.

“Attorney General Jeff Sessions concurred that the decision would fall to Rosenstein during a separate hearing. When asked if he would take any action to remove Mueller, Sessions answered, ‘I wouldn’t think that would be appropriate for me to do.’

“The current investigations will examine the depth and breadth of Russian interference in the U.S. election and any possible ties to the Trump campaign, and they must be allowed to run their course without interference.”

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