Discussion: Bipartisan Group Of Senators Move To Protect Mueller In Bill As Trump Fumes

McConnell will kill it, of course, and Ryan will if McConnell doesn’t, but I’d love to see this land on Trump’s desk just to see the first veto statement by Twitter ever.

I am grudgingly, painfully being forced to have some molecularly small particle of respect for Tillis. I sent him the hottest letter I’ve ever sent a politician–the only one, come to think of it–after he made some ridiculously stupid statements in 1/20, but I strongly suspect he’s been having some quiet chats with Burr about not walking out into traffic because there are big speeding trucks roaring down the road.

Well, also, contrary to what you might think, Trump is not a popular fellow hereabouts. The usual third in the small towns are rabid supporters, but he’s loathed in the cities and lost support in the 'burbs.

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A sample of the conversations occurring between any 2 sitting republitraitors:
1: What do you think on the protection bill?
2: Well in principle I’d say yes, but what if Trump actually fires people investigating his crimes?

  1. Of course he will since he’s so comprimised so we can’t back this thing.
  2. How do we get out of this?
  3. Let’s just pretend Trump won’t try then acted shocked later when he does.
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As Steve says, if this bill ever passed it would be tweet delete. Perhaps there is an end-around to get by turtle and create a resolution that if Mueller is fired the Senate would pick-up him and staff to continue the investigation?

Until there’s a major bulwark of Senators and House Reps. that are committed to speaking out and going on the record to get this done, this is just another fucking tease. I hate being teased.

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Much as that makes me smile, I have to think a good number of the Republicans who would protect the President feel that way because they drink their own Kool-Aid and actually believe this is ā€œa witch huntā€ and other bullshit. They’re low-information politicians, in other words. There are exceptions like the ultra-cynical McConnell, whose only question on any legislation seems to be ā€œdoes this advance my party’s agendaā€, and the obviously compromised Rohrbacher. Not many Republicans have to flip to get the legislation passed, and from the ā€œoff the recordā€ rumblings that have been communicated by every reporter in Washington, there are more than enough who are disturbed by this behavior. They won’t act until they feel they have some political cover, but will be happy enough to do so if it’s provided (so they’re not very brave, to put it mildly). The real road-blocks will be Ryan and McConnell, who can prevent open votes from ever taking place.

I’m probably being hopelessly naive in believing it, but Ryan announcing his retirement is very good news for this sort of legislation. He no longer has to give two shits about the crazies on his far right flank. I’ll be very curious what he signals on this legislation, if anything. (like I said, I’m probably being naive here!)

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Until I see a veto-proof majority for legislation in both the Senate and the House to protect the special counsel I will assume that the Republican majority has NO interest in upholding the rule of law in the US. That is where we are and why our democracy is so endangered.

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Fair point – they have to prove they have some semblance of responsibility by voting accordingly. Until then all the off-the-record grumbling to reporters about how they’re ā€œdisturbed by the President’s behaviorā€ is pretty meaningless

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As Trump is in his 70’s and has engaged in shady dealings for virtually all of his life, I would say ā€œnever-ending and corruptā€ is a far more apt description for what he sees when he looks in the mirror.

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[quote=ā€œncsteve, post:2, topic:70774ā€]
McConnell will kill it, of course, and Ryan will if McConnell doesn’t
[/quote]Well, assurances.

And confidence we don’t need that because he won’t do that.

And personal exposure.

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We’ll see,…

Even if the bill gets out of the Senate (very big if) will Ryan allow a vote? My money is on ā€˜no’.

The GOP reaction to the bill will tell us volumes about what they are really thinking. For instance, Graham is back on board. What change in the last 48 hours?

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While I don’t discount that strategy is being deployed (it is), the reality of why this will never happen is a bit more nuanced.

McConnell and Ryan both know that any such bill will be vetoed. They also know they have no hope (today at least) of getting a veto proof majority behind such a bill. Not in an election season. So they don’t see any value (and quite a bit of harm to them and their party’s election chances) by moving forward on it.

It’s a political calculation. McConnell is evil, not stupid. He is fully aware that you win elections by firing up your base and demoralizing the other side’s base. Going through the symbolic act of passing such a bill that will ultimately be vetoed, results in firing up the Democratic base and demoralizing the republican base.

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If it did get passed, I think the veto would be overridden just because the cuck factor would be too high on voting it in and then allowing him to veto it.

Plus, he’s complicit and doesn’t want to go down himself. Let’s not deny the obvious.

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CNN now reports that Grassley says there will be a vote in the Judiciary Committee as soon as tomorrow. However, any committee member could block it. https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-syria-russia-paul-ryan/h_53f7f29240f57890494b155e1c70c9b5

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So what’s with the change in the last paragraph in allowing any current DOJ official to fire a special counsel for cause, rather than the supervising member? An effort to allow Trump to find someone willing to dump the investigation without a Saturday Night Massacre?

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You’re making a safe assumption and share your skepticism. Cynicism?

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Humm, would a good cause be to . . . keep the stench of ā€œtrump fumingā€ out of Washington DC ?

ā€œUnder the bill, the expedited review would determine whether the special counsel was fired for good causeā€ . . .

Good cause to eliminate Mueller will never exist except maybe in the gop fantasyland or the Ted Cruz Chick-fil-a world.

Could this simply be butt covering?
Or do you give the man more credit?

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ā€œI don’t think he’s [ Mueller] going to be removed,ā€ said McConnell said Tuesday. ā€œI think he’ll be allowed to finish his job.ā€

To McTurtle, ā€˜finish his job’ likely means ā€˜hold out hope to the Democrats’ to the last possible minute. Then, McTurtle will snatch it away for the pleasure of seeing the disappointment on their faces.