As soon as James Comey was fired yesterday, major media news outlets began comparing Trump’s actions to Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre.” I’m sure most of you remember that very well.
At the New York Times, Charles Savage reviews our options:
Can a ‘special prosecutor’ or an ‘independent counsel’ be appointed?
No, because the law that created that type of prosecutor expired.
Oh, damn, right. I had forgotten that. However, we can still have a “special counsel.”
What would the appointment of a ‘special counsel’ do?
This position dates to 1999, when the Justice Department issued new regulations to create it after the independent counsel law expired. Special counsels are empowered to run an investigation with greater autonomy than a United States attorney normally enjoys. The regulations say special counsels “shall not be subject to the day-to-day supervision of any official of the department.†A special counsel also generally decides on his or her own “whether and to what extent to inform or consult with the attorney general or others within the department about the conduct of his or her duties and responsibilities.â€
Okay, but here’s the catch:Â Rod J. Rosenstein.
President Trump’s firing of the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, on Tuesday escalated calls among Democrats to appoint a special counsel to oversee the investigation into the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russia, especially given Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, who is overseeing that investigation, was also the face of Mr. Trump’s decision to fire Mr. Comey: The administration released a lengthy memo from Mr. Rosenstein recommending that Mr. Comey be removed, citing the way he handled the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state. …
… But if Mr. Rosenstein were to appoint one, the special counsel would still be ultimately subject to his control — and Mr. Trump’s. That means the special counsel’s decisions could be overruled, and he or she could be fired.
Oh, bleeping bleep. And, anyway, Mitch McConnell is standing by Trump and is against appointing an independent anything.
The Senate can continue investigations, although the result would simply be reports, not indictments. But that’s all we’ve got left.
As to why Trump suddenly fired Comey yesterday — the New York Times is reporting that Comey had just asked the Justice Department for “a significant increase in resources for the bureau’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election.”
Mr. Comey asked for the resources last week from Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, who also wrote the Justice Department’s memo that was used to justify the firing of Mr. Comey this week, the officials said.
You see the problem.
For Mr. Mitch MaGoo, “Privatizin'” Paul Ryan, and the rest of the Republican sociopaths in Congress, t-RUMPLE-thin-sKKKin serves a useful service.
He’ll gladly sign the death warrant for PPACA. He should. He pushed for it, after lying about how much better, cheaper, and more encompassing his and Ryan’s health care scribblings will be than PPACA.
He’ll gladly get behind Ryan drawing-up a death warrant for Medicaid, all for taxes who have too much money already. After all, that’s the whole point of t-RUMP-don’t-CARE!
And he’ll get behind “saving” Social Security for the future – by evicerating it by privatizing it.
And he’ll serve as their foil as the people gradually begin to comprehend the depth and depravity of t-RUMP’s grift.
They’ll blame him. “Who knew he would ask us to do all of this, and then force us into doing it (Heh-heh-heh)?
And then, they’ll impeach him, and put Mike “The Dense” Pence in the Oval Office.
What’s NOT to like?
Partisanship “trumps” everything with Republicans.
When there’s a GOP POTUS, they turn into an “Amen Chorus.”
When there’s a Democratic POTUS, they do everything they can to destroy that individual.
The generation of Republicans who care (at least slightly) more for their country, has been dying off. Effectively, they might as well all have died at the end of George H.W. Bush’s presidency.
Now?
Party over people!
PARTY OVER COUNTRY!!
PAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTY UBER ALLES!!!
Oh, and Republicans in Congress only believe in “checks and balances” when there’s a Democrat in charge.
When there’s a Republican in charge, it’s more like “Check, or would you prefer to charge what you want? – And leave the next Democrat (if there ever will be one again) to pay for it?!?!?!
(BWA-HA-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!).
Well, there’s always leaks.. Let’s hope that Trump’s presidency experiences the proverbial death by a thousand cuts.
It’s sad to say as an American that I’m wishing for the President to fail, but I’m conflicted in my values. I’ve always believed that the President of the United States should possess at a bare minimum the qualities of integrity, honesty, and faithfulness to all the people he supposedly serves. Trump is just a self serving bag of shit who brings disgrace and dishonor upon the United States. He’s a pathological liar..and there is no truth in him.
Yes and no.
If, by screwed, you mean that Trump and his cohorts will never be convicted of a federal crime, I agree. He is obviously trying everything his advisers can think of to impede and, ultimately, shut down all of the federal investigations. He may succeed. However, even if he does not succeed, he is legally entitled to pardon everyone involved, including himself (probably). As he has neither shame nor a conscience, I have no doubt he would do so.
But, he will not be able to pardon himself with respect to criminal charges brought by the State of New York, which seem to be in the works. See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ny-ag-trump-prosecutor_us_58cf4a83e4b00705db50667e
In addition, leaks are certain to increase in the wake of Comey’s sudden dismissal. Information has a way of coming out (eventually) and changing public opinion (eventually). Once Trump’s approval rating settles into the 27-30 percent hardcore cult members range, even the Republicans will realize it’s time to cut him loose.
The Republican goal now is to ram through as much of their regressive agenda as possible before they have to get rid of Trump. If, through continued public pressure and political activism we can prevent this, we’ll be in pretty good shape for 2018 and Trump will soon be off spending his days trying to avoid jail time in New York State.
I thought Comey should have been fired by Obama on Oct. 28, 2016. It does not break my heart that he was fired now; but, the manner in which the firing was executed was so classless, tacky, and heartless. It was done by a bunch of guys who seemed to have forgotten that there are certain protocols to be used in such a situation. Comey still deserved to be treated like a human being and not find out he was fired from TV while he was working at his job in Los Angeles. But, leave it to president assterisk to do it that way being the coward that he is. Trump cannot plan anything beyond the next five minutes of his life; and, everything is looked at from his own personal prism–NOT EVER through the prism of what is good for our country.
Somebody’s got a sense of humor… They are suggesting that rabid Rudy the Skull Giuliani be nominated as Comey’s replacement.
As usual, the Right wins the fight and the Left wins the argument. In this corner, money and power. In that corner, truth and justice.
A lot rides on 2018, I think.
Someone on one of the talking head cable shows yesterday asked if there were any Howard Bakers in the GOP, referring to Sen Baker who had the integrity to see the investigation of Nixon through. The obvious answer is no. There is no integrity in the GOP today. There is the reflex to take heart in the comments of Sens Graham, Flake and McCain. But we know that all of these guys eventually come home and circle the wagons. This is what they do.
Unless the democrats can take back congress in 2018, with partisan republican help, Trump may be able to brazen it out and complete a four year term. Now that’s scary.
I liked Trump better when he was John Miller.
Well, I’m ready to turn in for the night..But before I do, I would just like to indulge in a little nightcap therapy.. .So without further adieu..
Trump is a big bloated bag of shit, and my hope is that misery and misfortune seeks him out and overtakes him.
Swami – I would add two words to your prayer – “in prison.”
The key demographic has always been Trump support – that’s why he’s still doing rallies and advertising in his supporting states. I understand campaigning for your next election in the first 100 days of your presidency is unique – but to avoid impeachment, Trump has to be popular with the rank and file.
With that in mind, the key factor of the Comey incident may not be a prosecutor – it will be the effect on Trumps poll numbers. On Gallup, he’s hovering at 40% – they do a rolling 3-day average, so we won’t see the full effect of the reaction yesterday until Friday. Gallup polls move slow, but they get a large daily sample – a distinct dip that becomes a long trend will end Trump’s presidency.
There’s a lesson in all this somewhere. Usually, the corrupt bosses I knew salted the ground first for their political victims, without incriminating themselves. Trump doesn’t seem to believe in that strategy. But then I saw a tweet and will paraphrase:
Sauron didn’t care about his orcs either.
Gallup poll out today from data gathered yesterday – Trump down by 2%. That number is the average of the previous 3 days – so there was a 6 point drop yesterday, which the formula Gallup uses tends to minimize. If it’s a trend – he’s down 4% tomorrow on data collected today and the full impact won’t show until the Sat. poll is released. And then it’s a question of whether the numbers stay down or recover.
BFD? Maybe – because I think poll numbers are going to be the trigger on impeachment. When the base looses confidence in the magic, the GOP will claim they have a new wand.
And you can help make it happen:
It takes about 45 seconds to call the Dept of Justice right now!
â˜Žï¸ (202) 353-1555
This number goes directly to voicemail and they won’t call you back. Here’s a message you can leave:
“Hi. My name is [name], calling from [zip code] in [state]. I’m calling to request that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein immediately appoint a Special Prosecutor to oversee the ongoing investigation into Russia’s ties to the White House and to the 2016 election. Thank you for registering my support for the immediate appointment of a Special Prosecutor.”
Opinion | An Open Letter to the Deputy Attorney General
Rod Rosenstein has more authority than anyone else to restore Americans’ confidence in their government.
NYTIMES.COM
“Mitch McConnell is standing by Trump”
Well this is a man who stole a supreme court seat from and obstructed at every opportunity a President because he was a black man. So the fact that he’ll go along with the Trump criminal conspiracy should not come as a surprise. Mitch McConnell has zero good inside of him, a pure and perfect piece of political shit!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw8n7jAYMrE
While Trump is The Big Bag of Shit, McConnell will have to remain content being a mere sack of shit.
The Donald is just one unforced error after another.
That’s his safe zone.. he finds shelter and protection in chaos because it acts as an inoculation against the ravishes of truth.
But.. no matter how you view him, it doesn’t alter the fact that he’s just a big bag of shit and an offense to decency.