A former federal prosecutor said Monday that special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE could file a lawsuit if President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE were to fire him from the Russia probe.

“Well, if he went that route and tried to kind of circumvent, or you know, trump the special counsel rules, there could be an action filed in federal court,” Seth Waxman, a former U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., told MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber.”

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Waxman said that Department of Justice rules surrounding Mueller's appointment protect him from being fired by the president. He argued that Mueller could be removed only by a Department of Justice official for certain issues, such as dereliction of duty, and that a lawsuit could be filed under the Administrative Procedure Act if Trump sought to get around those rules.

“And so if Trump were to go that route, there potentially could be a lawsuit filed in federal court and litigation over that matter,” Waxman added.

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Trump has said he will not fire Mueller, and reportedly has told some individuals close to him that he believes Mueller will send a letter to him exonerating him of any crimes.

That's done little to quiet speculation that Trump could fire Mueller, however.

The special counsel is investigating Russia's involvement in last year's election, including whether there was collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign. The probe has led to a number of indictments, including of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort Paul John ManafortOur Constitution is under attack by Attorney General William Barr Bannon trial date set in alleged border wall scam Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE.

Conservative pundits and some GOP lawmakers have questioned the integrity of the special counsel and suggested there may be an anti-Trump bias within the FBI.

The source of those concerns is anti-Trump text messages sent by an agent formerly working on the Russia probe. That agent was removed from the investigation following the discovery of the messages.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE recused himself from the Russia probe, leaving Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDOJ kept investigators from completing probe of Trump ties to Russia: report Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report FBI officials hid copies of Russia probe documents fearing Trump interference: book MORE as the official who appointed Mueller.