Deputy AG Rosenstein set for budget hearing Tuesday

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein returns to Capitol Hill on Tuesday for a public hearing in front of the House's budget-writing Appropriations Committee.

The topic of the 2 p.m. ET hearing is the Justice Department's budget.

It's likely to be overshadowed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions' public appearance at a Senate intelligence committee hearing.

But House members could use it as a chance to grill Rosenstein about other topics, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, the investigation into Russian meddling in last year's election and Rosenstein's decision to tap former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel overseeing that probe.

PBS's Judy Woodruff reported Monday that Trump friend Chris Ruddy told her after visiting the White House that Trump is "considering perhaps terminating" Mueller -- a decision that would set off a massive political backlash. Ruddy later confirmed the comment to CNN. If Trump were to make such a move, he would have to order Rosenstein to fire Mueller.

Rosenstein's letter critical of Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email server investigation served as the Trump White House's first reasoning for firing Comey -- though Trump later undercut that explanation by saying he fired Comey in hopes of ending the Russia probe.

Because Sessions had recused himself from the Russia investigation over his connection to Trump's campaign and his undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador, it was Rosenstein's decision to appoint a special counsel to lead the investigation.