June 13, 2017
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says that there may be some serious repercussions if President Donald Trump dismisses special counsel Robert Mueller.
Rendell, who served as the mayor of Philadelphia from 1992 until 2000, tweeted late Monday that people would demand Trump's impeachment if he went through with the plan.
"If Trump fires Mueller he won't have to worry about Congress cause We the People will demand his impeachment/yourfiredmrpresident!!" he wrote.
If Trump fires Mueller he won't have to worry about Congress cause We the People will demand his impeachment/yourfiredmrpresident!!
— Ed Rendell (@GovEdRendell) June 13, 2017
Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, who The Associated Press reports is a close friend of Trump, said that the president is considering "terminating" the special counsel, who is charged with investigating the president's 2016 campaign ties to the Russian government.
Mueller, who led the FBI under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, was appointed by the Justice Department as special counsel after Trump abruptly fired former FBI Director James Comey for what became a list of shifting explanations.
"Mr. Ruddy never spoke to the president regarding this issue," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told CNN. "With respect to this subject, only the president or his attorneys are authorized to comment."
The firing would have to be carried out by Rod Rosenstein, deputy attorney general, though regulations could be "set aside," the AP reported.
Comey was brought in to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week regarding meetings with the president. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from the probe, is testifying before Congress Tuesday.
