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Senator Corker talks about relationship with Trump and Russia meddling during a stop at UTK campus Thursday. Michael Patrick/Knoxville News Sentinel
Buy PhotoSenator Bob Corker stopping at a campus campaign Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018 to raise awareness about modern day slavery and human trafficking.(Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel)Buy PhotoU.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said the country will see a “whole different conversation” around gun legislation when Congress reconvenes next week after last week’s mass shooting at a South Florida high school that killed 17 people.Corker spoke about gun legislation [1]among a number of other issues Thursday when he met with University of Tennessee administration and students as part of Shine a Light on Slavery Day and the End It movement, a campaign to end human trafficking.On gun legislation He said the outcry and the increasing number of shootings, particularly school shootings, will result in changes.“(The shootings) are increasing in rapidity as far as when they’re happening and so I think you’ll see some results here,” he said. “I can’t say what those results will be, but I think both the White House and Congress know we’ve got to make far more progress than we have thus far on this issue.”After speaking with media, Corker was asked by Edward Nelson, a candidate for State House District 19, about the National Rifle Association’s donations to his campaign and whether he would refund them in light of the recent violence. Corker said he would not.“Groups of all kinds contribute to people in races,” he said. “Expressing support for Second Amendment rights is appropriate. There are people who are counter to that who I’m sure support us also. I don’t remember the last time they did support us. We don’t plan on sending money back …”On Trump and possible re-electionUSA TODAY reported Thursday that Trump and Corker have mended their relationship, something that would be key if Corker changes his mind about retiring from the Senate. When asked what his new relationship meant for his future, Corker declined to talk about it.“We did have a tough period in the fall, but we never stopped working together … I deal with the President very often as I did this morning,” he said.“So, it just never stopped and it has nothing to do with the decision (to run for re-election),” he continued. “The decision has been … actually, I don’t want to talk about the decision.”On Russia investigation and Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s indictmentCorker said it was a “great step” by Mueller to indict 13 Russian nationals and businesses with interfering in the 2016 presidential election[2], but extraditing them out of Russia would be “very difficult.”There’s no question that they have meddled in our election, there’s just no question about it,” he said. “There’s no question they do that in other democracies … anything you can do to discredit other countries where our real