Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she wants the Senate to vote on a proposal to put restrictions on the president's ability to remove special counsel Robert Mueller.

Collins said she realizes President Donald Trump would never sign such a bill, but she said it would put pressure on him to let Mueller's investigation run its course.

Speaking in Brunswick, Maine, Collins said she's "very concerned" about the appointment of Matt Whitaker to serve as acting attorney general because of his comments about setting parameters for the probe into whether Trump's presidential campaign coordinated with Russia in 2016.

She said ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions proved himself to be "an individual of great integrity" by recusing himself and allowing the sufficient resources for Mueller to complete the probe.

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

1. Former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions walking out of the Justice Department, waving at people as they applaud, NATS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brunswick, Maine - 9 November 2018

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"I'm very concerned about the appointment of Mr. (Matt) Whitaker to be the Acting Attorney General. Jeff Sessions was an individual of great integrity. He proved that time and time again. Despite the president putting tremendous pressure on him, he continued to recuse himself from any involvement in the Mueller investigation and under Rod Rosenstein's leadership, the Special Counsel has all the resources and that he has needed to follow the evidence wherever it may be may lead. I am concerned about comments that Mr. Whitaker has made about the Independent Counsel and the parameters of the investigation. For that reason, I believe that we should bring to the Senate floor soon a bill that would put restrictions on the ability of the president to be able to remove the Special Counsel. Now, I recognize the president is never gonna to sign such a bill but I think that a Senate debate and passage of the bill would send a very strong message to the president."

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

3. Sessions shaking hands with other men, including Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brunswick, Maine - 9 November 2018

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"Jeff Sessions and I were elected the same year to the Senate and although there were many, many issues on which we disagreed, I knew that he was a person of strength and integrity, and that was why I I supported his nomination; I introduced him at the nomination hearing. And I think that the people of the United States have seen that he is, in fact, a person of strength and integrity, given the tremendous pressure that he has been under from the White House. And yet, he has stood strong. It doesn't mean that I agree with him on certain issues or policies that he's implemented. But I knew that he would do what he thought was right and that he would not bend. And it's significant that in his letter of resignation, that he says 'As requested, I'm submitting my letter of resignation.'"

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

5. Sessions waving at crowd, NATS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brunswick, Maine - 9 November 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"The fact that the career employees of the Justice Department all gathered around him to applaud him as he was leaving the Justice Department for the last day speaks to the respect that he earned from the civil servants working there."

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

7. Sessions entering vehicle

8. Pan right of crowd applauding

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she wants the Senate to vote on a proposal to put restrictions on the president's ability to remove special counsel Robert Mueller.

Collins said she realizes President Donald Trump would never sign such a bill, but she said it would put pressure on him to let Mueller's investigation run its course.

Speaking in Brunswick, Maine, Collins said she's "very concerned" about the appointment of Matt Whitaker to serve as acting attorney general because of his comments about setting parameters for the probe into whether Trump's presidential campaign coordinated with Russia in 2016.

She said ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions proved himself to be "an individual of great integrity" by recusing himself and allowing the sufficient resources for Mueller to complete the probe.

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

1. Former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions walking out of the Justice Department, waving at people as they applaud, NATS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brunswick, Maine - 9 November 2018

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"I'm very concerned about the appointment of Mr. (Matt) Whitaker to be the Acting Attorney General. Jeff Sessions was an individual of great integrity. He proved that time and time again. Despite the president putting tremendous pressure on him, he continued to recuse himself from any involvement in the Mueller investigation and under Rod Rosenstein's leadership, the Special Counsel has all the resources and that he has needed to follow the evidence wherever it may be may lead. I am concerned about comments that Mr. Whitaker has made about the Independent Counsel and the parameters of the investigation. For that reason, I believe that we should bring to the Senate floor soon a bill that would put restrictions on the ability of the president to be able to remove the Special Counsel. Now, I recognize the president is never gonna to sign such a bill but I think that a Senate debate and passage of the bill would send a very strong message to the president."

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

3. Sessions shaking hands with other men, including Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brunswick, Maine - 9 November 2018

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"Jeff Sessions and I were elected the same year to the Senate and although there were many, many issues on which we disagreed, I knew that he was a person of strength and integrity, and that was why I I supported his nomination; I introduced him at the nomination hearing. And I think that the people of the United States have seen that he is, in fact, a person of strength and integrity, given the tremendous pressure that he has been under from the White House. And yet, he has stood strong. It doesn't mean that I agree with him on certain issues or policies that he's implemented. But I knew that he would do what he thought was right and that he would not bend. And it's significant that in his letter of resignation, that he says 'As requested, I'm submitting my letter of resignation.'"

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

5. Sessions waving at crowd, NATS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brunswick, Maine - 9 November 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Susan Collins, (R) Maine:

"The fact that the career employees of the Justice Department all gathered around him to applaud him as he was leaving the Justice Department for the last day speaks to the respect that he earned from the civil servants working there."

POOL

Washington - 7 November 2018

7. Sessions entering vehicle

8. Pan right of crowd applauding