Scoop: Rod Rosenstein is resigning

Axios ^

[TigerClaws]

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has verbally resigned to Chief of Staff John Kelly in anticipation of being fired by President Trump, according to a source with direct knowledge.

Per a second source with direct knowledge: “He’s expecting to be fired,” so plans to step down. Background: Rosenstein talked last year invoking the 25th Amendment and wearing a wire during Trump meetings, the N.Y. Times' Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt reported last week. He denied both allegations.

[enumerated]

“Joe DiGenova for Assistant Attorney General.”

I’d like to see that - partly because I like Joe, and partly to prove all the Sessions haters wrong.

If Joe was assistant AG (or AG), my prediction is that the Mueller investigation would still linger on and be allowed to die of natural causes. In addition, the long list of top level Obama co-conspirators that Sessions “failed” to indict will remain unindicted, even under Joe diGenova.

The fact is, Trump wants no parts of throwing ex Obama administration chiefs in jail. Republicans throwing Democrats in jail, and visa versa, is a road no POTUS in his right mind would ever go down. The political blow back would be epic.

[Alberta's Child]

Whelan and Kavanaugh worked together in the second Bush administration. In fact, their careers are very similar up to the point where Kavanaugh became a Federal judge.

Whelan clerked for Scalia, and he's got an impressive Beltway legal background.

[glennaro]

I’m sure the President would love to fire is sorry feinstein ... but Donald Trump is no fool, he would gladly accept Rosenstein’s gift.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

I think it's basically Rosenstein doing himself a favor. Talking about wearing a wire to try to snag the President, and trying to organize a 25th Amendment cabal to remove him from office, is just a horribly unprofessional look for Rosenstein.

Also, I'm starting to think that Rosenstein was one of the main sources for Bob Woodward's story. Certainly, it's the first glimpse into how Woodward could have gotten his info about the 25th Amendment.

In any case, Rosenstein resigning likely saves himself being raked over the coals publicly for those actions.

[irish guard]

Or Michael Horowitz might have the good on him in the FISA investigation

[Palio di Siena]

Rosenstein go fund me account opening soon. Hopefully.

[Nifster]

Trump doesn’t have to do anything before the midterms

[mewzilla]

Or maybe Rosenweasel has just become too big of a liability, and The Swamp wants to cut their losses and ordered him gone.

[damper99]

If you verbally resign, why go to the WH to be fired? Just mail in your resignation letter.

[Major Matt Mason]

This sounds no different than the first Kavanaugh accuser "agreeing" to appear before the Senate, but still negotiating and not truly committing at all. It is just being done to make people think that she agreed to testify. In RR's case, he is trying to make people think he will be fired when there has been no indication that Trump will do so.

[butlerweave]

Oh wait no he’s not ,LO

[Reno89519]

Wouldn’t it be funny if Rosenstein is turned away at the White House gate?

[RainMan]

Resignation typically lets you keep your full retirement benefits, whereas firing could short them. You don’t qualify for Unemployment Insurance if you resign, but you get it if you were laid off, but not if fired for cause. Because of the calculus above, resignations are typically given precedent over firing in HR, because it is in the employees favor.

[lodi90]

RR knows he’d be out after the midterms after this latest nonsense. So it seems he wants to October Surprise POTUS and cause some Mueller beltway theater before the midterms.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

JohnWickofPolitics
JohnWickofPolitics
@Gingrich_of_PA
Sources reporting Jim Jordan saying “Rod may be done, but we’re not done with Rod.”

[kabar]

Resignation is the honorable thing to do. Rosenstein should have recused himself from the Mueller investigation in the beginning. Rosenstein knows that the unredacted FISA will be coming out this week.

And let's remember this about the May 16, 2017 meeting that Rosenstein had with McCabe (Acting FBI Director) that according to several contemporaneous reports devolved into a shouting match. McCabe wanted Rosenstein to take tougher measures to take down Trump. Rosenstein answered with his famous, maybe sarcastic remark about wearing a wire. And then there was another meeting according to McCabe's notes, suggesting the use of the 25th Amendment to take out Trump.

The dog that didn't bark. Rosenstein was McCabe's boss. The meeting with McCabe seemed to be about tactics, not the ultimate objective to take Trump out. There seemed to be a consensus on this. This proves to me that Rosenstein was part of the cabal. Otherwise, he should have fired McCabe on the spot for his remarks.

McCabe felt comfortable making them in front of at least 8 people as did Rosenstein. Comey had been fired a week earlier. And the next day, May 17, 2017, Rosenstein appointed Mueller as SC. No doubt this was discussed at this meeting. So you had the cabal, including McCabe and Page, deciding how best to get Trump. Mueller was the answer.

Rosenstein needs to be investigated to learn how he developed the scope of what was supposed to be a counterintelligence investigation. Why did he deem it necessary to appoint a SC and in particular, Mueller?

[georgiegirl]

Noel Francisco to replace RR. Looks like he’s a Trumpster:

https://www.businessinsider.com/if-trump-fires-rod-rosenstein-noel-francisco-2018-9

[Truth29]

"RR knows he’d be out after the midterms after this latest nonsense. So it seems he wants to October Surprise POTUS and cause some Mueller beltway theater before the midterms."

Likely correct. If Rosenstein is really out, then expect lurid disclosures and headlines before the November elections.

[ridesthemiles]

Hoisted on his own petard?

[KyCats]

Ding Dong the witch is dead. Which old witch? The wicked witch! Ding Dong the wicked witch is dead.