Stepping aside for a moment from the border wall crisis/dog wag, it is time for S.2644, The Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, to be brought before the Senate for a vote — despite Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s refusal to do so — now that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will succumb to White House pressure to leave his post.

Without Rosenstein, President Donald Trump’s appointment of William Barr as next attorney general is a threat to the Mueller investigation. Barr believes that the president is above the law. As AG, he can dictate what Mueller is allowed to investigate, and ultimately can refuse to release Mueller’s findings to Congress and the public. Even if Barr is not confirmed by the Senate, acting AG Matthew Whittaker’s agenda is to financially starve the investigation. This is unacceptable, for the country and for the American people.

Sens. Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham have said in the past that protecting the special counsel legislatively is unnecessary, because Trump declared he would not interfere with Mueller’s investigation. I know that they both know that any statement of Trump’s is more likely to be dishonest than honest.

Frank Zimbardi

Solon