On the 145th day of his presidency, Donald Trump has been publicly named as a criminal Obstruction of Justice suspect by Special Counsel Robert Mueller III.

And there’s no legal way Trump can fire the Special Prosecutor.

Washington was rocked earlier this week by news that Trump wanted to fire Mueller, and has been shook hard again today in the wake of the GOP baseball practice shooting.

Mueller’s office is preparing to interview three high ranking intelligence officials in the wake of former FBI Director James Comey’s dramatic testimony last week that the Trump had asked him to shut down the investigation into General Michael Flynn’s alleged criminal conduct. The Washington Post reports:

Five people briefed on the requests, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said Daniel Coats, the current director of national intelligence, Mike Rogers, head of the National Security Agency, and Rogers’s recently departed deputy, Richard Ledgett, agreed to be interviewed by Mueller’s investigators as early as this week. [Preliminary] interviews suggest Mueller sees the question of attempted obstruction of justice as more than just a “he said, he said” dispute between the president and the fired FBI director, an official said.

Amazingly, the NSA confirmed the report that Admiral Rogers is cooperating with the prosecutors.

The Post continued:

The obstruction-of-justice investigation of the president began days after Comey was fired on May 9, according to people familiar with the matter.

Robert Mueller was appointed Special Counsel on May 18th, which means that the Obstruction investigation predates his term.

President Trump made headlines this week when news of his idea to fire Robert Mueller was bantered around the media, but a Watergate-era case Nader vs. Bork lays out a direct precedent — which isn’t binding — but logically indicates the legal reasons why the Special Counsel’s position is secure. Here’s three excerpts from the judge’s ruling:

It should first be noted that [the Special Prosecutor] was not nominated by the President and did not serve at the President’s pleasure. As an appointee of the Attorney General Mr. Cox served subject to congressional rather than Presidential control.

It is settled beyond dispute that under such circumstances an agency regulation has the force and effect of law, and is binding upon the body that issues it.

The Supreme Court has twice held that an Executive department may not discharge one of its officers in a manner inconsistent with its own regulations concerning such discharge.

Special counsel Muller’s position is established by federal regulationsin the manner of a statute, which makes his position subject to Congressional oversight — meaning any Representative or Senator could sue to restore him if unjustly fired.

The Department of Justice regulations that establish Mueller’s special counsel post which were drafted in 1999 to replace the Independent Counsel statute that empowered Kenneth Starr’s endless Whitewater investigation

The regulations stipulate the highest standards possible for firing the prosecutor, “for good cause shown” and a few other specific reasons — misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest — none of which are applicable.

Earlier this week, Deputy Attorney General — who stands in the recused Jeff Sessions’ role supervising the special counsel — has already said under oath to Congress that Mueller has done nothing wrong.

The above combination of facts insulates Robert Mueller III almost entirely from being fired, or if Trump attempts it, staying fired.

Earlier today, the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Intelligence Committee met with the Special Counsel.

While the Department of Justice will not indict a sitting President, once Mueller’s charges are prepared, they will land in the hands of Congress, who will then face tremendous public pressure to impeach Donald Trump so he can then face federal criminal charges.

After James Comey’s testimony, Republican Party and Trump have maneuvered forcefully to spin that the President is not under FBI investigation.

Today’s news — on Donald Trump’s birthday — escalates the urgent seriousness of investigations into his grave abuse of presidential power.