While I agree with you in a slap-Trump-in-the-face sort of way, appointed members of an administration serve at the pleasure of the POTUS. POTUS has the constitutional right (within SCOTUS-imposed limits) to remove such executive officials at any time, for any reason. It would not be helpful if fired persons opposed the Constitution by fighting their removal.
Now, if the IG comes back and shows that something fishy was going on with the removal, Congress could bring him in to testify as an individual. Unfortunately, Congress is run by the Republicans and they seem not to care about the possibility that their President might be a traitor.
The thing that has to stop is the decorum observed when someone is fired for clearly nefarious or political reasons. Are there legal constraints restricting what a public servant can say about what happened? I understand why someone is still obliged to protect classified information – but are they required to protect the bad intentions of the president – even above legitimately defending their own reputations? Trump seems to be counting on their silence.
Why is no one asking McCabe about his leaks and update/s to Preshitident Trump and Mike Penice and Reince Priebus about the status of the Russia collusion investigation.
Good fucking question, Senator Heinrich. I love the strategy of systematically taking the deceptive gibberish spouted by the WH and getting testimony that utterly demonstrates its falsity. This hearing is blowing up in a certain orange face.
Oh - I would not say someone should refuse to go – just that the time for going away quietly is not serving the interests of our country – and everyone seems to be sitting by helplessly as this goes on. Their silence born out of decorum or legal statute or outright fear only protects Trump and leaves us all speculating about what is really going on.
Oddly enough - the day of Yates’ testimony I thought the whole Russia investigation was going nowhere and probably wouldn’t implicate Trump at all.
Now? Trump made himself look guiltier than ever. This is right up there with his crazy tweet about Obama’s wiretap - but with even more self-inflicted damage.
I’m just not sure what purpose that would serve other than to guarantee his time as acting Director would be very, very brief. The best way to vindicate Comey is to ruffle as few feathers as possible so that he’ll be able to stick around and direct as much time and energy into exposing this administration and all involved for the traitors they are.
I think McCabe’s testimony has now sent Trump on a trajectory towards resignation. The rank and file FBI will run through a wall for him after that performance. Dems will block consideration of any new FBI appointee. More firings will simply further alienate Trump from the GOP and leave him isolated.
Arrests are reportedly coming soon. That Burr authorized a subpoena tells me that he sees the writing on the wall. Also, Rosenstein looks like his story may be as complex as Comey’s. Like Comey he was used, and was also foolish to allow himself to be used. However, like Comey, he has the power to make some of it right by scaring Sessions into resignation and appointing a special prosecutor. It is possible now that Trump does not last the month.
I hear he and Jared are packing their virtual ‘go’ bags - lots of $ being transferred overseas. Too bad for them that the debts transfer too.
This fellow went to Priebus and unprompted told him the NYT story detailing the Trump/Russia connection was “B.S.” The facts presented in the story have proven to be accurate. He then made suggestions that the administration procure the help of Richard Burr and Devin Nunes to call other GOPers up personally to assure them there was nothing to see here. Why was he doing this? Is he a closet right wing ideologue – does he resent his wife’s support for Hillary? Did he want to gain Trump’s affections? Was he a mole feeding the Trump administration information about the investigation and actively undermining Comey? The guy now says that the investigation has adequate funding – in direct opposition to what Comey was requesting. Who stands to gain if the investigation is underfunded?
TrumPublicans are in panic mode… they see their political careers on life-support, except for the ones that the KochBoys’ Toms (CottonMouth) et al, who have visions 2020 dancing in their heads.
The WaPo reports they’re already working on finding another interim director, which would put McCabe back in the #2 position even while they find a permanent replacement. Meanwhile, they’ve pissed off almost the entire FBI, with the possible exception of the New York office.
Remember that Deep Throat turned out to be the associate director of the FBI.
I think there is a division here. There are the bull headed, thick as a brick morons, who are full team ahead; then there are the more shrewd dirty types like Burr, who sense their own liability and step back; and then there are the long-term planners who never got too close and can now walk away and gain favor within the party afterwards as the ‘not dirty’ types. The thing that is keeping Trump afloat is the utter corruption of McConnell and Ryan. Ryan is a dipshit, but Mitch is rationally evil. He’s the guy who pulled back from the gov’t shutdown in 2014 (in exchange for money for a bridge project or something in KY) when he knew it was lost. He was fully invested and egged it on and then pulled the plug abruptly. Think he will do something similar here with Trump. That Burr authorized subpoenas tells me that a number of GOP Senators see the writing on the wall. Trump will be embroiled in a bunker mentality against #trumprussia through 2018 or may resign. Best thing is to step back.
This is a sincere question for discussion: If what Trump has done so far in his horrific administration isn’t enough to rein him in or get him charged with some sort of impeachable offense, what would? Really, if he’s avoided any serious consequences so far, it’s hard to imagine what would finally tip the scales toward reason and reality.
That news is about 2-3 days old. They’re going after Trump’s finances. AG Schneiderman and the DOJ attorneys in EDVA and SDNY already have this stuff. Arrests are coming. Up to 24 indictments. Burr is playing catch up because he knows what Comey has on Trump.
