Sen. Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinTumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate McConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden MORE (D-Ill.) said the Senate Judiciary Committee is "exploring" measures that would block President Trump from appointing an acting attorney general to replace 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 during the August recess, effectively allowing him to circumvent the need for congressional confirmation.

"We're exploring the ways right now," Durbin said on MSNBC's "The Beat with Ari Melber."

"The idea this president would use the August recess to stop the investigation of the Russian impact on the election and his campaign is unacceptable."

The Illinois senator declined to offer further details when Melber pushed on how they plan to prevent any attempt by Trump to replace Sessions, adding that he's told Melber "as much as I can tell you at this moment."

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"Yes. If that's what it takes. I think it's that important. If we don't stand for the principle that no one in this country is above the law, then what are we?" Durbin responded in part. "To think that the president or any person in the White House is above the law is unacceptable in America."

Durbin's comments come at a time when Trump has repeatedly and blisteringly criticized Sessions, one of his early and loyal campaign supporters, for his decision to recuse himself from the ongoing Russia interference investigation.

His public roastings of the Justice Department chief have fueled buzz that Trump could ask for Sessions's resignation, even though it could be the president venting his frustration out in the open.

Some news outlets have reported that the president is floating possible attorney general replacements to his West Wing staffers including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rudy Giuliani, another longtime supporter — a claim the former New York City mayor denies.