FBI Director James Comey fired

[BakerWilliams]

It's like Trump read three quarters of Nixon's biography and thought "that sounds like a good strategy, I'll do that"

[sabrelady]

"you had your way

Now you're gonna pay-

Hooray and  Hallelujah

I mean you've really got it

coming to ya

and I'm SO glad that your all so sorry NOW!" 

[adamgreer]

It's such a joke. The end of our democracy is at hand. 

I want BC to defend this one. I'd love to hear what he's gonna come up with. 

[madbrian]

adamgreer said: "It's such a joke. The end of our democracy is at hand."

Our government is truly at risk, and the scariest part isn't Trump, it's our dependency on Congressional Republicans to do the right thing. 

[JohnBoy2]

First of all, James Comey was a horrible FBI Director, and should have been fired by Obama.  Secondly, the FBI Director serves at the pleasure of the President.  He is a political appointee.  His firing is no threat to our democracy.  I thought everybody hated him?

[Pootie2]

madbrian said: "
Our government is truly at risk, and the scariest part isn't Trump, it's our dependency on Congressional Republicans to do the right thing. "

 

The only thing that we can really hope for in terms of getting to the truth is an independent prosecutor. But considering what happened before election and within the first 100 days of this presidency, I think we can be certain that the Republicans in Congress will not do the right thing; they've had many opportunities to do so. So what else can be done? A coup d'etat?

[adamgreer]

Pootie2 said: "madbrian said: "
Our government is truly at risk, and the scariest part isn't Trump, it's our dependency on Congressional Republicans to do the right thing. "

 

The only thing that we can really hope for in terms of getting to the truth is an independent prosecutor. But considering what happened before election and within the first 100 days of this presidency, I think we can be certain that the Republicans in Congress will not do the right thing; they've had many opportunities to do so. So what else can be done? A coup d'etat?

 

Resist and try to make it to 2018 relatively intact and then hope we get control of at least one chamber so we can just stifle him until 2020. 

[Cat Guy]

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has requested that all Democrats be in their seats on the Senate Floor tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.  I don't understand the mechanics of what might happen, but there will be an effort by the Democrats to ensure that a Special Prosecutor is named.  

[javero]

And...

CNN exclusive: Grand jury subpoenas issued in FBI's Russia investigation

Washington (CNN)Federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas to associates of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn seeking business records, as part of the ongoing probe of Russian meddling in last year's election, according to people familiar with the matter. CNN learned of the subpoenas hours before President Donald Trump fired FBI director James Comey.

The subpoenas represent the first sign of a significant escalation of activity in the FBI's broader investigation begun last July into possible ties between Trump campaign associates and Russia.

Full details at the link above.

[LaurenB]

"First of all, James Comey was a horrible FBI Director, and should have been fired by Obama."

Agree.  Too much is being made of the timing.  Jeff Sessions had recused himself on matters regarding the Russian investigation, and his deputy AG only got confirmed (overwhelmingly) and placed a couple of weeks ago.  Comey reported to the deputy AG and it was his recommendation that Comey be replaced.  He should have been gone last summer.  Nobody could stand him, LOL, Dems and Republicans alike.   

[javero]

I agree w/ @LaurenB.  Comey was NOT the most politically astute fellow in the DC cesspool.  Neither Trump nor Hillary would have named him Attorney General so I never knew his true aims.  Most of the tide watchers here have already moved on.  The FBI is not in charge of the Russiagate investigation.

[madbrian]

Comey absolutely was leading the investigation into the ties between Trump and Russia.  Even McCain is now calling for a special prosecutor to be assigned.

[javero]

Don't mean to split hairs.  But, it's my understanding that one of the charges against Comey was that he had usurped the authority of the Department of Justice with respect to Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.  The firing has the hands of Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein all over it who wanted to remind Comey (and the rest of the FBI) of the pecking order.  After AG Jeff Sessions' bogus recusal, Rosenstein in now the man.  I admit that some others here could likely distinguish the lines of authority of the DoJ from the FBI's better than I though.

Personally, I find the firing b/s and classless but predictable.  Comey pissed off left & right alike before getting his walking papers.  We need a special prosecutor for all things Russia because the Senate Intelligence Committee lacks skilled full-time investigators and no one on this planet trusts either AG Jeff Sessions or his deputy Rod Rosenstein.

[kdogg36]

[kdogg36]

Bizarrely, Trump mentioned the Russia investigation in the termination letter he sent to Comey:

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

A timeline of the firing:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/10/politics/james-comey-donald-trump-firing-tick-tock/index.html

"

Backlash was swift, with claims from Democrats that Trump was ridding himself of an investigator who was delving too deeply into ties between his associates and Russia. Even some Republicans, including the chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said they were troubled by the development and its timing. Comparisons to Richard Nixon, who fired a special prosecutor probing the Watergate burglary, began flying.

The White House insisted the firing came amid questions about Comey's handling of a probe into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's email server. But that explanation was betrayed by Trump's letter, which didn't mention those concerns, focusing instead on the continuing inquiry into his campaign's Russia ties.

Officials in the West Wing, many of whom weren't aware Trump was planning to fire Comey, appeared caught off guard by the furor."

I totally believe Trump and his people were shocked at the fallout thinking that Comey's unpopularity on both the left and the right would make people applaud this decision. For one thing, people in this thread don't seem to get why this firing doesn't pass many people's smell test. 

It will be interesting to see what Comey does going forward.

[javero]

I truly despise Trump, Sessions, and Rosenstein but firing Comey was a masterstroke.  If a special prosecutor emerges, he or she will be appointed by Rosenstein, vice Sessions, by virtue of the latter's half-azzed recusal.

I don't think anything will come of the separate Senate & House investigations.  Mitch McConnell is already in full on obstructer mode.

Perhaps an FBI agent or DoJ official in the know will risk all and produce a smoking gun under whistle-blower protection.  Or maybe Manafort or Gen Flynn can somehow nab a deal to avoid prosecution and deliver the goods to take down Trump's criminal enterprise. 

[LizzieCurry]

Call call CALL call call call call

http://itstimetofight.weebly.com/comey-firing.html

[javero]

Byron York (of the Washington Examiner): To fire Comey, Trump team waited for Rosenstein

[henrikegerman]

javero said: "I truly despise Trump, Sessions, and Rosenstein but firing Comey was a masterstroke.  If a special prosecutor emerges, he or she will be appointed by Rosenstein, vice Sessions, by virtue of the latter's half-azzed recusal."

Actually, Javero, a special counsel could be appointed either by DOJ or by Congress.

Though Congress may not have the political will/votes to do it.  And Trump could veto Congress too, though that could be overridden.

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-special-prosecutor-trump-russia-james-comey-2017-5

[javero]

"Actually, Javero, a special consel could be appointed either by DOJ or by Congress.

Thought Congress may not have the political will/votes to do it."

 

Thanks for weighing in, henrikegerman.  I received conflicting interpretations offline earlier today, all of which asserted that both chambers of Congress are limited to requesting that the AG invoke the Ethics in Government Act (EGA) to appoint an Independent Counsel.  Law is not my lane.  I defer to brighter minds.

[henrikegerman]

^thank you, that's my understanding and I've added a link from businessinsider explaining the diff. routes to a special prosecutor.

[brdlwyr]

Congress will never appoint or oppose Trump. Ryan and McConnell are masturbating over the billionaire tax cuts that will sail through Congress. They are immoral lying asses fuled only by $$$$$$$$$.

[javero]

Why doesn't Mitch McConnell recuse himself from any Senate proceeding connected with Russia & the Trump campaign given that his wife Elaine Chao is Trump's Secretary of Transportation?

[brdlwyr]

No nepotism here - move along . . . 

[Pootie2]

Then Trump meeting a couple Russians immediately thereafter, and Russian media invited but not American media?

https://twitter.com/paleofuture/status/862330774644637696