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Trump neutered the GOP. Except for very few exceptions, they look like a bunch of servile lap dogs for Trump. Party over patriotism should be their motto. Ironic for the flag waving caucus.
Wasn't Mueller appointed under the current statute? What power would Congress have to appoint a prosecutor different from the current law?
The power of appointment currently rests with the DOJ. Clearly Trump could do what Nixon did. Eventually he could find someone to get rid of the prosecutor.
He probably could get Meuller fired. But if he did, another special prosecutor would be hired to replace Mueller, and firing Mueller would be the end of Sessions as AG unless there was some very valid reasons involved.
Since Mueller successfully served a 10-year hitch as FBI Director under 2 Presidents, one Republican and one Democrat, I think he's pretty safe in his present job. The guy had a long career in federal law enforcement, with no blemishes on it. That's why he was selected.
So far, Trump has been insistent that he won't interfere with the proceedings. That's a smart move on his part, as there may be nothing to be found on him, even if there is something on others that could be found out.
Even if Flynn or someone who is snared tries to claim he was acting on Trump's behalf, that's the kind of second-hand thing that's hard to prove unless some kind of hard evidence like tapes is uncovered.
The object of the investigation is not to dig up dirt on Trump anyway; it's to get to the bottom of the Russian interference in the 2016 election.
With that in mind, I think it's possible that there may be as much jeopardy to some of the Obama administration's officials as to Trump's. Much will depend on how knew what when, as the Russians did their work very carefully. It took some time for them to be discovered, and even then, it took even longer to determine the extent of the hack.
Let's face facts, Trumpees, Jesus Christ himself could be appointed as the head of this investigation, and you guys would still spin it toward him being not suited . "Well, if Jesus was so smart, why did he stick around and let them crucify him ?"
Mueller is the best man they could have chosen for this post. We know you would prefer Newt Gingrich, but that ain't gonna happen. Now, if Trump should be so stupid as to try to get rid of Mueller, that would seal his coffin right there on the spot........there would be no questions, on either side, that he was simply playing Dictator and eliminating all his detractors. You could not even begin to imagine the outcry from everyone if he pulled such a dumb trick.
Even Donald Trump is not THAT stupid ! (I think)
Well actually, he is. He has to continually do stupid things, to keep his followers appeased. They would no longer see him as one of their own kind, if he did anything that reeked of intelligence and common sense. This is a performance in the Theatre of the Absurd.
I don't trust Comey or Mueller. Haven't trusted them for some time...despite what uninformed leftists say on here.
However, if Mueller does get canned, the left better not even try to bleat "cover up" or any other such ridiculous nonsense.
Neither of them can be trusted, and since Trump was not under investigation this entire time, there is no need for Mueller to act in the capacity that he's been placed in.
A Special Prosecutor is a difficult person to fire. If Trump manages to fire Mueller, it won't stop the proceedings; Congress will just appoint another special prosecutor, and the second will be immune from firing once appointed.
When Nixon wanted his Attorney General Elliott Richardson to fire SP Cox, after Cox said he would subpeona Nixon, Richardson resigned rather than face the censure that would follow.
So Nixon had to find another AG suddenly. He chose Deputy Attorney General Ruckelshaus, demanded he fire Cox, and Ruckelshaus also resigned. Wm. Ruckelshaus held the job about 48 hours before he quit.
So then Nixon appointed Robert Bork to the office, and Bork did fire Cox, but lost a seat on the Supreme Court later on as a consequence, after taking a terrible beating in the confirmation hearings that left him with a ruined reputation.
And the firing of Archibald Cox made Congress and the public so mad that Cox's replacement, Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski, immune to the possibility of being fired. Jaworski was freed to lead the investigation into places where Cox never tried to uncover.
Nixon lost a lawyer who was favorable to him when he fired Cox, and got a lawyer who was hostile toward him as a result. Once Cox was fired, Nixon suddenly started looking guilty to all his former voters and supporters.
And remember Nixon won 1972 in a landslide. If he had left Cox alone, his popularity could have made a Cox investigation come to nothing much.
Trump did not win by such a landslide. He's on much shakier ground right now than Richard Nixon was.
There have been other special prosecutors who followed Watergate. None of them ever faced being fired as a result of Nixon's folly.
The lesson is: No President messes with Congress like that and gets away with it.
A good summary that everyone should read and heed. This must serve as a 'rep'.
I will note that Mr. Bork, himself, subsequently stated that he agreed to fire Mr. Cox in exchange for a promise by Mr. Nixon to nominate him for the next Supreme Court seat. Alas! Mr. Nixon resigned before another seat came open. As Banjo notes, when Mr. Bork was nominated by President Reagan, you had some in the Senate (Kennedy, for instance) that were still mad at Mr. Bork for his role in the Saturday Night Massacre.
It has been noted that, should President Trump fire Mr. Mueller, in theory Congress can appoint their own special counsel. Yet, as noted, the public was so outraged over the firing of Mr. Cox that Nixon had to appoint another special prosecutor, Leon Jaworski. It did not dampen the outrage of the public, and Mr. Jaworski proved every bit as a bulldog as Mr. Cox was, or even more so.
The lesson from history: Mr. Nixon would have done well to leave Mr. Cox alone. It probably, however, would not have made much difference in the long run.
If I get pulled over and the cops start asking me questions, I answer their questions honestly. I help them with whatever issues they are trying to investigate. Why? Because I haven't done anything wrong. I don't drink, don't do pot, and do not do weird stuff like look at child porn.
Someone who is being confrontational and being disruptive is clearly trying to hide something. So what is TRUMP trying to hide? Is he smoking pot? Is he looking at child porn? Or is it something MUCH WORSE?
People who are trying to hide are usually guilty!!
I don't trust Comey or Mueller. Haven't trusted them for some time...despite what uninformed leftists say on here.
However, if Mueller does get canned, the left better not even try to bleat "cover up" or any other such ridiculous nonsense.
Neither of them can be trusted, and since Trump was not under investigation this entire time, there is no need for Mueller to act in the capacity that he's been placed in.
LOL, the Investigation Is going to continue, and if it does not the Outrage of the American People and Congress will roll over the Donald and his administration as if it were a house of cards, which it is beginning to look more and more like. There is Nothing You or Trump can do to stop the wheels of Justice, besides if trump and his minions have done nothing wrong there isn't a thing to worry about and they will all be vindicated, right.................ROTFLMAO!
He probably could get Meuller fired. But if he did, another special prosecutor would be hired to replace Mueller, and firing Mueller would be the end of Sessions as AG unless there was some very valid reasons involved.
Since Mueller successfully served a 10-year hitch as FBI Director under 2 Presidents, one Republican and one Democrat, I think he's pretty safe in his present job. The guy had a long career in federal law enforcement, with no blemishes on it. That's why he was selected.
So far, Trump has been insistent that he won't interfere with the proceedings. That's a smart move on his part, as there may be nothing to be found on him, even if there is something on others that could be found out.
Even if Flynn or someone who is snared tries to claim he was acting on Trump's behalf, that's the kind of second-hand thing that's hard to prove unless some kind of hard evidence like tapes is uncovered.
The object of the investigation is not to dig up dirt on Trump anyway; it's to get to the bottom of the Russian interference in the 2016 election.
With that in mind, I think it's possible that there may be as much jeopardy to some of the Obama administration's officials as to Trump's. Much will depend on how knew what when, as the Russians did their work very carefully. It took some time for them to be discovered, and even then, it took even longer to determine the extent of the hack.
And the absolutely hilarious possibility is that they could re-hire Meuller, watch Trumpling heads exploding all over the place would be Priceless.
Last edited by Casper in Dallas; 06-13-2017 at 09:06 AM..
A Special Prosecutor is a difficult person to fire. If Trump manages to fire Mueller, it won't stop the proceedings; Congress will just appoint another special prosecutor, and the second will be immune from firing once appointed.
When Nixon wanted his Attorney General Elliott Richardson to fire SP Cox, after Cox said he would subpeona Nixon, Richardson resigned rather than face the censure that would follow.
So Nixon had to find another AG suddenly. He chose Deputy Attorney General Ruckelshaus, demanded he fire Cox, and Ruckelshaus also resigned. Wm. Ruckelshaus held the job about 48 hours before he quit.
So then Nixon appointed Robert Bork to the office, and Bork did fire Cox, but lost a seat on the Supreme Court later on as a consequence, after taking a terrible beating in the confirmation hearings that left him with a ruined reputation.
And the firing of Archibald Cox made Congress and the public so mad that Cox's replacement, Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski, immune to the possibility of being fired. Jaworski was freed to lead the investigation into places where Cox never tried to uncover.
Nixon lost a lawyer who was favorable to him when he fired Cox, and got a lawyer who was hostile toward him as a result. Once Cox was fired, Nixon suddenly started looking guilty to all his former voters and supporters.
And remember Nixon won 1972 in a landslide. If he had left Cox alone, his popularity could have made a Cox investigation come to nothing much.
Trump did not win by such a landslide. He's on much shakier ground right now than Richard Nixon was.
There have been other special prosecutors who followed Watergate. None of them ever faced being fired as a result of Nixon's folly.
The lesson is: No President messes with Congress like that and gets away with it.
I would agree generally with your assessment.
However I do take exception of your view that Judge Bork did not receive confirmation to the scotus due to his actions. For starters, Bork prevented an even larger constitutional crisis, and as you point out, his actions led to another SP being appointed that Nixon couldn't fire. So in many ways, he helped the Republic.
Regardless, the liberal Democrats didn't want someone of his great intellect to get on the scotus, as they envisioned him as too influential a conservative, akin to how the upcoming Scalia would be.
Bork was one of the most qualified nominees ever considered, yet the Democrats smeared him with character assassinations. Their over the top rhetoric was designed to demonize him, and sadly they were successful.
You do not see the Republicans engaging in such things, hence the likes of Ruth Bader Ginsburg got on the court.
So while I do have my reservations about Mueller, it would likely not be a smart political move to have him removed. The only reason it might work is that the (R's) control Congress, so they may not appoint another SP, now that this whole Russia farce has been exposed.
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