Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) in the span of five hours flip-flopped on the Senate floor about whether he wanted the deputy attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation into alleged ties between Russia and members of President Donald Trump's campaign team.
Schumer argued Wednesday morning that, in the wake of FBI Director James Comey getting fired, "What must happen now is that [Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein] appoints a special prosecutor to oversee this investigation."
"Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein sat in the Judiciary Committee and promised to appoint a special prosecutor at the appropriate time. He said, quote, 'I'm willing to appoint a special council whenever I determine it's appropriate,'" Schumer said.
But Schumer changed his position later that afternoon after meeting with members of the Democratic caucus.
"There are three things that our caucus agreed must happen right away," he said. "First, Mr. Rosenstein should not be the one to appoint a special prosecutor."
"That responsibility should go to the highest-serving career civil servant at the Department of Justice," Schumer concluded.