Politics Trump Ordered Mueller Fired, but Backed Off When White House Counsel Threatened to Quit

[SlyPokerDog]

WASHINGTON — President Trump ordered the firing last June of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation, according to four people told of the matter, but ultimately backed down after the White House counsel threatened to resign rather than carry out the directive.

The West Wing confrontation marks the first time Mr. Trump is known to have tried to fire the special counsel. Mr. Mueller learned about the episode in recent months as his investigators interviewed current and former senior White House officials in his inquiry into whether the president obstructed justice.

Amid the first wave of news media reports that Mr. Mueller was examining a possible obstruction case, the president began to argue that Mr. Mueller had three conflicts of interest that disqualified him from overseeing the investigation, two of the people said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/us/politics/trump-mueller-special-counsel-russia.html

 

[SlyPokerDog]

That best part is he suddenly switches over to a car crash.

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't understand why they keep defending him.

 

[Minstrel]

I don't understand why they keep defending him.

Because he gives them what they want. Nothing more or less sophisticated than that.

He was the culture warrior prince that was promised.

 

[Natebishop3]

This guy is a disgrace at any level... and he's our fucking President. I wouldn't want him as Mayor, or a City Councilman, or a member of the Neighborhood Association. He's a total train wreck. An embarrassment. I voted for George W Bush, and for all of his faults, he wasn't a piece of human garbage.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I don't know or pretend to know the power dynamics of the Executive Branch.

But I wouldn't consider myself the leader (or Commander, as it were) of a team or unit if I couldn't impose discipline, reward, hire or fire. Was any of that warranted in this case? No idea. But let's stop with the notion that the President firing who he doesn't like is either a) illegal, b) unprecedented or c) some testament to character. Even if there was no animus, in the words of Eric Holder "Elections matter", and gov't officials not deemed to be part of the team have been purged most of my adult life. And if you've somehow offended the President?

Ask General McChrystal how long you keep your job if you piss off the President, justified or not.

I would've personally fired Comey, for instance, the day that his "memo" came out, were I in a position to do so. I try not to dig in to the inner workings of DC very much, but it's getting harder every day.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

But let's stop with the notion that the President firing who he doesn't like is either a) illegal, b) unprecedented or c) some testament to character.

 

[Denny Crane]

The obstruction of justice by Nixon was suborning of perjury of witnesses. Specifically, he offered the judge overseeing the prosecution of Daniel Ellsberg the job as FBI director. He also made false or misleading public statements. These things specifically cited by the articles of impeachment (which were never enacted).

Nixon did not attempt to obstruct justice, he actually did so.

 

[jonnyboy]

This guy is a disgrace at any level... and he's our fucking President. I wouldn't want him as Mayor, or a City Councilman, or a member of the Neighborhood Association. He's a total train wreck. An embarrassment. I voted for George W Bush, and for all of his faults, he wasn't a piece of human garbage.

Trumps a douche, no question. Bush lied to start a war that killed over 100,000.

Fix your priorities.

 

[riverman]

Trumps a douche, no question. Bush lied to start a war that killed over 100,000.

Fix your priorities.

8 years over 1 year....give him time!

 

[jonnyboy]

8 years over 1 year....give him time!

Yeah, I won't hold my breath. Liberals have been promising apocalypse since election day. I think they actually want another world war just so they can say 'told ya so'. They'd rather stand around in a nuclear wasteland with smug satisfaction then admit all their fear mongering was bullshit.

 

[barfo]

I would've personally fired Comey, for instance, the day that his "memo" came out, were I in a position to do so.

Wasn't he already fired by the time anyone outside the FBI knew there were memos?

barfo

 

[Denny Crane]

The justification to fire Comey was his admission under oath that he bypassed protocols and kept information from the attorney general and DoJ.

It's insubordination. Cause for firing.

 

[riverman]

Liberals have been promising apocalypse since election day.

that's quite a stretch.....as a war vet...I'm calling bs on this one jonnyboy....N Korea has never been so empowered until the orange combover started sabre rattling....Trump is the hawk in the room.

 

[Denny Crane]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...the-u-s-has-responded/?utm_term=.f802216cf1ce

February 2013: Kim Jong Un, then newly in power, conducts his first nuclear test as leader. The test was far larger than earlier experiments, with experts estimating that the bomb was between six and seven kilotons. The test coincided with South Korea's national elections and Obama's State of the Union address.

2011-2016 would be the reign of the emperor who wore no clothes.

 

[barfo]

The justification to fire Comey was his admission under oath that he bypassed protocols and kept information from the attorney general and DoJ.

It's insubordination. Cause for firing.

Too bad that wasn't why Trump fired him.

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

I don't know or pretend to know the power dynamics of the Executive Branch.

But I wouldn't consider myself the leader (or Commander, as it were) of a team or unit if I couldn't impose discipline, reward, hire or fire. Was any of that warranted in this case? No idea. But let's stop with the notion that the President firing who he doesn't like is either a) illegal, b) unprecedented or c) some testament to character. Even if there was no animus, in the words of Eric Holder "Elections matter", and gov't officials not deemed to be part of the team have been purged most of my adult life. And if you've somehow offended the President?

Ask General McChrystal how long you keep your job if you piss off the President, justified or not.

I would've personally fired Comey, for instance, the day that his "memo" came out, were I in a position to do so. I try not to dig in to the inner workings of DC very much, but it's getting harder every day.

The executive power is given to the President. Period. I do not see any improvement need in this part of the Constitution.

 

[MarAzul]

Too bad that wasn't why Trump fired him.

barfo

It doesn't matter barf. He can fire the SOB just because he doesn't like his hair or smirk.

 

[MarAzul]

Nixon did not attempt to obstruct justice, he actually did so.

Huge difference. With evidence to support impeachment, not just an opposition party fantasy.

 

[Denny Crane]

Too bad that wasn't why Trump fired him.

barfo

It is why he fired him.

Too bad for you.

 

[barfo]

It doesn't matter barf. He can fire the SOB just because he doesn't like his hair or smirk.

But not to impede an investigation into 'this Trump and Russia thing'.

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

But not to impede an investigation into 'this Trump and Russia thing'.

barfo

I my view, the chief executive is completely correct to terminate an investigation into anything that has zero evidence to support opening the investigation. Simple whines from the opposition is not evidence. The FBi director is simple. He needed to be fired.


This would be true of any CEO. Who the hell would hire a lawyer to investigate any infraction were you have no evidence that it happened?

 

[barfo]

I my view, the chief executive is completely correct to terminate an investigation into anything that has zero evidence to support opening the investigation. Simple whines from the opposition is not evidence.
This would be true of any CEO. Who the hell would hire a lawyer to investigate any infraction were you have no evidence that it happened?

As it happens, there was plenty of evidence then, and there is more now. And anyway your view and the law disagree (you fought the law and the law won..).

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

As it happens, there was plenty of evidence then, and there is more now. And anyway your view and the law disagree (you fought the law and the law won..).

barfo

This is the law I know exists.
"
Article. II.

Section. 1.

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. "

If you have one that overrides this one, please post the link.

 

[barfo]

This is the law I know exists.
"
Article. II.

Section. 1.

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. "

If you have one that overrides this one, please post the link.

Just read a little further. Article II, section 4.

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

Article II, section 4.

Yes?

 

[barfo]

Yes?

Yes.

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

Barf folds.

 

[barfo]

Barf folds.

Not at all. Do you need impeachment explained to you?

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

Not at all. Do you need impeachment explained to you?

barfo

No, I can recall the proceedings.

Those proceeding are even less likely to happen than finding any evidence to support it.

But then you error, hey? Article 4 does not override the fact that the President holds the executive power.