On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Wolf,” Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) stated that Republicans won’t get Democratic votes to fund the government “if they’re not going to be willing to make sure that we protect the Mueller probe.” Swalwell added that protecting the Mueller probe is possible without a fight over the budget.

Swalwell said, “Whitaker was hired to be a hitman to take out the Mueller probe. It’s clear. He fired the guy that recused himself from the probe to put in someone who has already prejudged the investigation. … And so, we have a number of options. One, we’re going to have a funding the government vote coming up here in a couple weeks, and we’re going to insist that we protect the Mueller probe.”

Anchor Wolf Blitzer then asked Swalwell how Democrats will do that.

Swalwell answered, “Well, you know, the Republicans have been unable for the last two years to fund the government with their own votes. They run government, of course. They have the House. They have the Senate. They have the White House. But they can’t sort out themselves, so they’ve had to rely on Democratic votes. They’re not going to get Democratic votes if they’re not going to be willing to make sure that we protect the Mueller probe.”

He later added, “I think the opportunity is for Republicans to step up, finally, to hear what the voters wanted on Tuesday, and to just protect the Mueller probe. There’s bipartisan support in the country to do that. We can do that without having a budget fight.”

(h/t Grabien)

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett