Posted on 07/27/2017 10:31:57 PM PDT by Meet the New Boss
A yearlong FBI investigation into Russian hacking has failed to produce a single indictment. Yet the president watches impotently as a special counsel pulls together a lethal force, inside his own administration, whose undeclared ambition is to bring him down.
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This is not a witch hunt. It is an Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn, where the most colorful eggs are likely to be the tax returns and the financial records of Trump, who built a real estate empire in a town where winners brag about how they gutted the losers.
Every enemy of Trump is going to be dropping the dime on him to Mueller. Moreover, there is no history of special counsels being appointed and applauded by the press, who went home without taking scalps.
Trump understands this. Reports of his frustration and rage suggest that he knows he has been maneuvered, partly by his own mistakes, into a kill box from which there may be no bloodless exit.
What Trump needs is a leader at Justice who will confine the Mueller investigation to the Russian hacking, and keep Mueller's men from roaming until they hit prosecutorial pay dirt.
Consider now Trump's narrowing options.
He can fire Jeff Sessions. But that will enrage Trump's base...
He could direct Rosenstein to fire Mueller. But Rosenstein would assume the Elliot Richardson role...
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Another Trump option would be to leave Mueller alone and hope for a benign outcome. But...
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...Mueller is not a man to be intimidated by charges of bias. These will only steel his resolve to pursue with his subpoena power every document he wants, including tax returns, until he has satisfied himself.
The president is unlikely to view this process with indulgence, and patience does not appear to rank high among his virtues.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
President Trump could also issue an executive order directing Rosenstein to amend the Special Counsel appointment to specify the crimes being investigated in order to make the Special Counsel appointment legal by bringing the appointment within the requirements of DOJ regulations for a Special Counsel. DOJ regulations require that an appointment specify the particular criminal investigation to be conducted by the Special Counsel, which Rosenstein failed to do.
One legal point worth noting: The legality of Rosenstein's appointment of Mueller rests on compliance with the DOJ regulations governing the appointment of special counsels.
Rosenstein does not have available a fall-back position that he was not necessarily relying on the Special Counsel regulations, but rather was simply delegating the power to conduct an investigation to a fellow DOJ lawyer. For example, in the Plame investigation the appointment of special counsel was made to someone who was already a US Attorney confirmed by the Senate.
In Mueller's case he was brought in from outside government, and if the appointment was illegal for failure to comply with the DOJ regulations, there is no alternative legal basis to rely on.
“He can fire Jeff Sessions. But that will enrage Trump’s base...”
False. The opposite, in fact.
I want Trump in the fight for as long as possible. He can do pretty much whatever he needs to do to stay in the fight and I'm personally A-OK with it. If he stops fighting, I'll be PO'd.
He could suspend Habeus Corpus. Worked for Lincoln. LOL
I have long said , and I have mentioned this , thru channels , to the President himself , many times : He is being ambushed . The way to survive any such ambush is to ATTACK directly into the ambush . With a concentrated ferocity that will overwhelm the ambushers and break the ambush .
He has , so far , failed to do this . All the cards are on the table , there is little to lose . ATTACK ! Lay waste to his enemies , who are themselves vulnerable in countless ways .
Indictments should be coming out for Obama , Clinton , Kerry, Comey , Brennan , Clapper , Rice , Power , Koskinen , and a host of others ; tomorrow .
Attack !
The GOP has done this. This entire Russia thing is the GOP trying to destroy Trump who we voted in.
I do not blame democrats. They have zero power.
You are right, and the GOP will never approve a replacement for Jeff Sessions. We would expect what, a temporary to fill in, but actually on a permanent basis?
Lynch & Holder
Why not fire Rosenstein? His subordinate is conservative. She can fire Mueller or rein him in.
I concur.
Trump needs to face the fact that it’s time to change the game, and act accordingly. If he plays by their rules, he loses.
I will be very unhappy if Sessions is fired. He has been the most effective member of the Cabinet in implementing Trump’s agenda.
It still might ultimately be the best course of action. At the right time...
Zero would have appointed a Czar in order to circumvent the system. Trump likely is reluctant to do that because it is so Zero like. He could just create a new Cabinet position, say the Department of Internal Affairs and then stock it with trustworthy persons commissioned to clean up the swamp.
I suspect that he has something in mind to put an end to this BS.
Precisely. If President Trump fires Jeff Sessions—and explains his reasons for doing so—the base will accept it, even if they aren't all happy about it.
The notion that Jeff Sessions will engender more loyalty than President Trump—especially considering the AG's missteps—is patently ludicrous.
On the other hand, if AG Sessions survives and starts doing the work of the People—as opposed to arresting Willie Nelson for marijuana possession and making him Forfeit all of his Civil Assets—all of this turmoil between the President and the AG will ultimately be forgotten...
The longer he waits to fire Sessions, Rosenstein or Mueller in order to end or circumscribe the fishing expedition, the more likely he will be impeached and removed from office for doing so.
If Mueller can point to some real illegality in Trump’s businesses that they have come across, that will be enough to mount an obstruction charge. No doubt they are frantically trying to find that piece of evidence now.
Paul Ryan has already come out in support of Mueller, and if McConnell joins with McCain and Graham that probably pulls enough other R votes in the Senate to throw him out of office.
LOL. That's absolutely delusional. These Swamp clowns would have to go through the American People first. That's not going to happen without evidence of an actual crime, and there is none. Nor will there be.
Impeachment is a political act—one which would likely trigger a civil war in this country. It's simply not going to happen. Not even a ghost of a chance.
You need to stop watching the cable news so much; it's warping your perception of objective reality...
If Mueller is allowed to complete his investigation, I put the chances on Trump impeachment and removal at 50/50.
If Trump waits until after Mueller has put his teeth into something solid before acting to terminate the investigation, I put the same odds.
This isn’t about Trump. It’s about trade and immigration. The power behind the establishments of both parties want mass immigration into the US, and they want borderless trade. They have been used to getting their way until the election of Trump.
The “American People” only elected Trump in WI, PA and MI by a margin so small that it would fit in Michigan Stadium. There is not another election until 2020 even if Trump is removed. The Republican party leaders would have preferred Pence to begin with.
I heard Rush say that a recess appointment would last for 1.5 years...during that time if situation improves, I am guessing he could put forth a nominee.
~Freeper formerly known as bushwon ;)
Hey Rita!
Son all moved in in Rochester—not happy to read about the MN Dept. of Ed. “transgender toolkit for elementary students” directive that came out a few weeks ago...Did not have the heart to send it to son as it appeared on day of his closing :( Will send it in a few...I have warned him to keep close eye on public schools.
Right now they are in the honeymoon phase of relocating...loving house, town, life in general. School starts after Labor day...That is when reality will set in...
Warned my son that back-to-school season is just about as expensive as Christmas. Don’t spend too much on the house yet...
I was in the back-to-school supplies aisle today at Walmart, and I talked to a mom buying stuff ...She said she has to buy FIVE BOXES OF CRAYONS among other things...to support those who cannot afford crayons, etc. Said kids don’t get to even label their stuff...it is all communal. She was not a happy camper.
Hope all is well with you and yours :)
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