U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Chris Coons (D-DE) tried to force a vote on a bill to protect Robert Mueller but were blocked by Sen, Mike Lee (R-UT).

The Senators tried to force a vote on the Senate floor on legislation to protect Mueller, but Mike Lee objected:

Video of Sen. Jeff Flake asking for unanimous consent to move forward on the vote and Lee objecting:

Sen. Lee said, “We cannot convert an office like this one, an office like the previously-existing Office of Independent Counsel, without creating a de facto fourth branch of government, fundamentally undermining the principle of separation of powers that is so core to our liberty. On that basis. I object.”

The New Republican Line Is Protecting Mueller Is Unconstitutional. (It’s Not).

The Republican defense for not protecting Mueller is that it would be unconstitutional for the Legislative Branch to protect a Special Counsel that is working within the Justice Department. It is a line of gibberish that would not hold up to a moment of scrutiny if Congress passed legislation to protect Mueller.

The Legislative Branch has the constitutional power of oversight over the legislative branch. To quote one of Paul Ryan’s favorite lines during the Obama years, “Congress passes the laws. The President implements them.” Congress can use its oversight ability to place conditions on the firing or removal of a special counsel.

Democrats are going to have to force Republicans to protect Mueller by adding the protections to the government funding bill. It’s the only way. Democrats won’t be blackmailed, and without being forced, Republicans will never do the right thing and protect Mueller.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

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Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association

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