Flake floats Congress hiring Mueller as special prosecutor if Trump fires him

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) on Thursday floated the idea that Congress could hire Robert Mueller as a special prosecutor if he is fired by President Trump from his current role.

The Justice Department in May appointed Mueller as special counsel leading the investigation into Russian election interference and potential ties between Trump’s presidential campaign and the Kremlin. 

“I think that if he were to be removed, however it’s done by the assistant attorney general or a new one, Congress would assert its prerogatives,” Flake said on MSNBC. “That would mean hiring a special prosecutor, and that might even be Bob Mueller.”

Sen. Flake if Mueller fired: Congress would assert its prerogatives. Hire a special prosecutor, that may be Mueller. https://t.co/pXJVaq8LqD

— Geet Jeswani (@TweetingGeet) August 3, 2017

{mosads}Trump has reserved the possibility of firing Mueller, calling the investigation a “witch hunt” and criticizing Mueller for conflicts of interest. Mueller has widespread, bipartisan support in his role.

Flake has become one of Trump’s most prominent Republican critics. He recently said that Republicans were in denial about Trump’s first few months in office, calling members of Congress to speak out against the president’s policies that stray from the conservative agenda.