House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Sunday said he doesn’t think there is a “need for legislation” to protect special counsel Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, despite reports that Trump ordered Mueller’s termination last summer.
“I don’t think there’s a need for legislation right now to protect Mueller,” McCarthy said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
“If there’s an issue that arises, we’ll take it up at that time,” he added. “But right now there’s not an issue, so why create one when there isn’t a place for it?”
Asked about reports that Trump tried to fire Mueller last summer, but backed off when White House Counsel Don McGahn threatened to quit, McCarthy said that was “a place” that he had “not been a part of.”
“I have not heard that. The only thing I’ve seen is cooperation going forward,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy also said that while he has “confidence” in Mueller, he has “questions about others within the FBI and the DOJ,” and cited missing text messages exchanged by two Justice Department employees at the center of a GOP anti-FBI conspiracy.
WATCH: "I don't think there's need for legislation right now for protecting Bob Mueller," @gopleader says on #MTP in an exclusive interview pic.twitter.com/CA3vmnz13e
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) January 28, 2018
