THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

Of Donald J. Trump's collusion and, ultimately, espionage, with the Russians as long as Mitch "The Turtle" McConnell or any Republican remains in charge of the Senate. He has just now stated he will not do anymore to investigate The Tangerine Shitgibbons Un-American activities.

Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, on Wednesday defended President Trump’s firing of the director of the F.B.I., James B. Comey, resisting Democratic calls to challenge the president and support a broader inquiry of Russian interference in the election.

“Today we’ll no doubt hear calls for a new investigation,” Mr. McConnell said on the Senate floor, “which can only serve to impede the current work being done.”

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, frontally questioned Mr. Trump’s stated rationale for dismissing Mr. Comey and renewed a call for the Justice Department to appoint a special prosecutor.

Since the day Mr. Trump was elected, a prevailing theory was that congressional Republicans, especially in the Senate, would be a check and balance on his potential excesses and missteps.

Mr. McConnell has largely avoided that test.

As the Senate chamber opened Wednesday morning, Democrats filed in one by one to listen to Mr. McConnell’s remarks, which began with a long criticism of the health care law. Democrats listened, stone faced, as they waited for the leader to address Mr. Comey. Mr. Schumer took notes.

Mr. McConnell has long resisted calls for a special prosecutor, arguing that any investigation could be handled largely through the inquiry being conducted by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

But in both chambers of Congress, particularly the House, investigations by two intelligence committees have been consumed at times by conspicuous partisanship. (Representative Devin Nunes, Republican of California, was eventually forced to step away from the House investigation he was leading amid questions about his contacts and closeness with the Trump administration.)

With the exception of Senator John McCain of Arizona, most Republicans have resisted embracing the installation of an independent investigator or commission.

Speaking after Mr. McConnell, Mr. Schumer also demanded that his counterpart call a closed “and, if necessary, classified” briefing for all senators with the attorney general and deputy attorney general.

Mitch has always been very good at protecting his 'rice bowl' and is probably smart enough to keep it from direct contact with Trump and his Russian agents. But he will still fight with all he has to cover-up an indirect but real threat to his fortune.