Democrats are urging Congress to protect 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's investigation following Monday’s uproar over the fate of 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.

Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellFEC flags McConnell campaign over suspected accounting errors Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' MORE (R-Ky.) have been opposed to a bill to protect Mueller’s probe into Russia's election interference, but are waiting to see what happens Thursday when 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 and Rosenstein will hold a high-stakes meeting at the White House.

Democrats believe that Rosenstein, the No. 2 Justice Department official and the man who oversees the Russia probe, is the only person preventing Trump from firing Mueller and halting the investigation. Amid new reports that Rosenstein himself may resign or be fired soon, Democrats are comparing the situation to President Nixon’s purge of top Department of Justice (DOJ) officials during the Watergate scandal that ultimately led to his resignation.

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“It’s very upsetting,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said during an appearance on CNN. “This is the next step in a slowly evolving, slow-motion 'Saturday Night Massacre' in which the president is getting rid of all the people who were involved in initiating or carrying out the investigation of obstruction of justice by him.”

Rep. Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (D-Md.), ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, called for emergency hearings if Rosenstein leaves his post — “regardless of how it happens.”

“Mr. Rosenstein’s removal would plunge our nation into uncharted territory and pose a serious and profound threat to the continued work of the Special Counsel,” Cummings said Monday in a statement.

Speculation about Rosenstein’s future has swirled around Washington for many months, as Trump’s allies in the White House and Congress have attacked the DOJ deputy director for what they see as an overly aggressive approach to the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Rosenstein has become a leading face of the probe since early last year, when 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 investigation — a move that infuriated Trump and fueled questions about Sessions’s own future atop the DOJ.

In July, a group of conservative House Republicans introduced a resolution to impeach Rosenstein, charging him with withholding documents pertinent to Congress’s oversight of the Russia probe.

Scrutiny of Rosenstein escalated further on Friday, when reports emerged that Rosenstein had been so unnerved by Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE last year that he floated the idea of secretly recording his conversations with Trump.

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First reported by reported by The New York Times, the reports also revealed that Rosenstein had discussed a plan to oust Trump by invoking the 25th Amendment, which outlines procedures for removing a president deemed unfit to serve in office. Rosenstein vehemently disputed the account, calling it “factually incorrect.”

The attacks on Rosenstein from Capitol Hill have sparked a host of Democratic proposals to protect the Mueller investigation from any efforts to shut it down prematurely. McConnell and Ryan, while supporting the probe, have both rejected such legislation, arguing there’s simply no evidence that Mueller is threatened, thereby precluding the need for congressional intervention.

"I haven't seen a clear indication yet that we needed to pass something to keep him from being removed because I don't think that's going to happen," McConnell told reporters back in April.

McConnell, Ryan and other GOP leaders offered no new statements Monday about Democrats’ demands to pass the protect-Mueller legislation. But GOP lawmakers and aides they did not see any scenario where McConnell and Ryan would bring such a bill to the floor.

“Zero chance,” one GOP congressman told The Hill. “Many Republicans believe that after two years of investigation, it is past time to finish the Mueller probe, not protect it.”

On Monday, conservative Rep. Jim Jordan James (Jim) Daniel JordanHouse panel pulls Powell into partisan battles over pandemic Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election House passes resolution condemning anti-Asian discrimination relating to coronavirus MORE (R-Ohio), who is running for Speaker, called for Rosenstein to appear before the Judiciary Committee and discuss his alleged efforts to undermine the president.

“You can’t have the head of the Justice Department (even if it’s sarcasm) talking to subordinates about recording the Commander in Chief,” Jordan said. “He needs to answer our questions.”

Jordan’s close ally, Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November House moves toward spending vote after bipartisan talks House Democrats mull delay on spending bill vote MORE (R-N.C.), likened the current DOJ leadership team to DOJ leaders under former President Obama.

“The total lack of transparency and accountability among senior FBI and DOJ officials has devolved into a constant wheel of behind-the-scenes gamesmanship, with anonymous leaks left and right, each seeking to create their own narrative and save face with the public,” Meadows said in a statement.

“Under Rod Rosenstein and Jeff Sessions, the Department of Justice has had just as much of a transparency problem as it did even under Eric Holder Eric Himpton HolderThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump's rally risk | Biden ramps up legal team | Biden hits Trump over climate policy Biden campaign forming 'special litigation' team ahead of possible voting battle Pompeo, Engel poised for battle in contempt proceedings MORE and Loretta Lynch — the bar for which is extremely low. This is disastrous, and it needs to end now. It does not serve the President well, and far more importantly, does not serve the American people well.”

Amid the latest flare-up with Rosenstein, however, Democrats are doubling down, putting more pressure on Republican leaders to step in to protect the DOJ from potential White House interference.

“The Senate must pass legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller TODAY,” tweeted Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisHarris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle Nearly 40 Democratic senators call for climate change questions in debates Joe Biden has long forgotten North Carolina: Today's visit is too late MORE (D-Calif.), a Judiciary Committee member who’s been mentioned as a possible 2020 presidential candidate. “Republican leaders must allow it to be voted on. We can no longer afford to wait. This is a matter of preserving the rule of law.

Rep. Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffPelosi, Democrats unveil bills to rein in alleged White House abuses of power Chris Matthews ripped for complimenting Trump's 'true presidential behavior' on Ginsburg Trump casts doubt on Ginsburg statement, wonders if it was written by Schiff, Pelosi or Schumer MORE (Calif.), a senior Democrat on the House Intelligence panel, suggested that Trump firing Rosenstein would provide further evidence of the president obstructing justice.

“Under no circumstances should Rod Rosenstein resign. This would place the Mueller investigation in even greater jeopardy,” Schiff tweeted. “Rosenstein should continue to do his job, protect the independence of the DOJ, and if the President intends to obstruct justice, force Trump to fire him.”

Added another key member of the Intelligence panel, Rep. Eric Swalwell Eric Michael SwalwellSwalwell calls for creation of presidential crimes commission to investigate Trump when he leaves office 'This already exists': Democrats seize on potential Trump executive order on preexisting conditions Swalwell: Barr has taken Michael Cohen's job as Trump's fixer MORE (D-Calif.), “Firing or pushing out #Rosenstein is the same as doing it to Mueller. Make this move @realDonaldTrump, and you will see Americans step up, speak up, and rise up.

"We’re not taking this quietly," he continued. "You are not above the law.”

Melanie Zanona contributed.