Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) on Tuesday called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation if President Donald Trump fires the special counsel for the Russia investigation, Robert Mueller.
A close friend of Trump, NewsMax Media founder Christopher Ruddy, said Monday that Trump was considering firing Mueller, the former FBI director appointed by the Justice Department last month to lead the Russia investigation.
"I also want a commitment from Jeff Sessions that he will resign if the president of the United States fires Bob Mueller," Blumenthal said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "I think that it's a matter of fundamental conscience. The Republicans on the committee should cooperate in defending Bob Mueller."
Blumenthal went on to insist that there is a "smear campaign" being conducted by Republicans against Mueller, a possible reference to criticism by Newt Gingrich or a CNN story about Mueller's legal team having Democratic leanings.
"There's nobody better qualified in the whole country in terms of [Mueller's] involvement as a United States attorney, as head of the FBI. He's a person of unquestionable integrity, and this attack on him to undermine his credibility, this smear campaign being conducted is unconscionable. I want Jeff Sessions to denounce it," Blumenthal said.