Trump Fires FBI Director Comey

Politics and religion
784

Just in case you were still under the impression the Kushners were a moderating influence:

[After learning Rosenstein had appointed a special counsel] Mr. Kushner — who had urged Mr. Trump to fire James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director — was one of the few dissenting voices, urging the president to counterattack, according to two senior administration officials.

(I think the “moderating” they do is more of the “But Daddy, if you sign that Executive Order legalizing discrimination against gays, the hotels will lose a lot of money” and “No Daddy, you can’t actually have that man killed” variety.)

785

Honestly, here’s my biggest worry:
That Trump just shuts the fuck up.

Because we saw this in the campaign. When Trump was getting wrecked, how did they fix it? They took away his phone and just threw him in a box for a few weeks. Simply having him not speak or tweet was enough to have his campaign recover, because unless he is doing actively terrible shit every god damned day, a ton of the GOP will just pretend stuff that happened more than 24 hours ago either didn’t happen or doesn’t matter.

If Trump just fucking shut up, all this stuff would almost certainly just blow over… which is terrible, but I’m pretty damn certain of it.

786

Well, it hasn’t happened yet

787

Ya, I was heartened by the fact he tweeted like an idiot.

788

I wonder if historians wince every time he uses the word “history,” especially in regards to himself.

789

WHERE IS MY LIKE BUTTON!!!

I like what you had to say. Please continue with the thread.

790

According to reports Lieberman is the leading candidate for FBI Director.

So of course:

791

Lieberman working for a law firm that does business with Trump doesn’t necessarily mean he is compromised. The biggest question I think about Lieberman should be his age. It is a 10 year term, and he is 75.

792

Ya Joe is too old for the job. Mueller is no kid but this should wrap up in a year, two at the outside.

793

I assume Droopy Joe would be fairly ineffectual. His law enforcement credentials are weak (he was CT’s Attorney General in the 1980’s). Does anyone think he has the expertise or the personal connections within the FBI to make much of a difference? How much respect and loyalty will he garner?

794

I had never seen or heard of this until now. I wish I still hadn’t, as it one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever read. To equate the election with 9/11 in any way, but especially in this way…ugh. I want to punch everyone associated with this in the face, repeatedly, and they’re not even Nazis…probably.

795

So latest is the Rosenstein told Congress today that he knew Comey was being fired before he wrote the memo.

796

Also:
“This was a counter-intelligence investigation. It is now a criminal investigation.”~ Senator Lindsey Graham after meeting w/ DAG Rosenstein.

797

That whole thing sounds odd to me. A CI investigation would still be a criminal investigation as well.

798
799

The replies to that tweet are fantastic.

800

I don’t want to sound like a dick, but if you are going to embed a link to a tweet of a person just linking another tweet which has no discernible information in it could you add any kind of context to it?

Like who those people are or how this is any different than the 900,000 other “tomorrow” tweets?

801

The guy that wrote the “Tick, Tick, Tick” tweet runs lawfareblog I believe, but no idea what the tweet is about.

802

I think putting Lieberman’s name out there and waving it around is much like McConnell suggesting Merrick Garland: it’s the GOP going through the motions of appearing bipartisan with picks they know are never going to actually go anyplace.

It’s theater, but it’s fine, since I think Senators of both parties know deep down what has to happen in the end is appointing someone with FBI experience and an untarnished reputation. There’s too much potential for political blowback otherwise.

(Trump to announce Gary Busey as the nominee in 10, 9, 8 …)

803