06-13-2017, 02:53 AM
No doubt most of us have had the experience of dealing with a kid who just can't be told. "Don't touch that" seems to confer on that object a magnetic force which draws the hand irresistibly towards it.
Trump is that kid. Washington is now agog at rumours that Trump wants to sack the special prosecutor, Mueller, who is investigating, among other things, whether Trump obstructed justice by sacking Comey who was in turn investigating Trump's associates. One of his friends has revealed that he has warned Trump this would be a mistake. This while there seems to be a campaign led by GOP politicians and figures, such as Rush Limbaugh, to discredit Mueller and his investigation.
Trump can't sack Mueller directly. But he can order the Attorney-General to do so. Jeff Sessions, however, has recused himself from anything involving the Russia investigation. That didn't stop him from getting involved in sacking Comey, but sacking Mueller would make his recusal a massive joke. If he does defer to the Deputy A/G, Rob Rosenstein, Rosenstein may refuse to obey Trump's order or, more likely, he would resign rather than obey it. The next in line would then face the same decision.
This could create another comparison to Watergate as Nixon's order to sack the Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox led to "The Saturday Night Massacre" in which a string of A/G figures resigned.
I'm sure many people have pleaded with Trump to let the investigation go. After all, it may well determine that Trump isn't guilty of anything. But like the impulsive kid who is told to stay away, that advice seems to impel him to do it anyway.
Trump is that kid. Washington is now agog at rumours that Trump wants to sack the special prosecutor, Mueller, who is investigating, among other things, whether Trump obstructed justice by sacking Comey who was in turn investigating Trump's associates. One of his friends has revealed that he has warned Trump this would be a mistake. This while there seems to be a campaign led by GOP politicians and figures, such as Rush Limbaugh, to discredit Mueller and his investigation.
Trump can't sack Mueller directly. But he can order the Attorney-General to do so. Jeff Sessions, however, has recused himself from anything involving the Russia investigation. That didn't stop him from getting involved in sacking Comey, but sacking Mueller would make his recusal a massive joke. If he does defer to the Deputy A/G, Rob Rosenstein, Rosenstein may refuse to obey Trump's order or, more likely, he would resign rather than obey it. The next in line would then face the same decision.
This could create another comparison to Watergate as Nixon's order to sack the Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox led to "The Saturday Night Massacre" in which a string of A/G figures resigned.
I'm sure many people have pleaded with Trump to let the investigation go. After all, it may well determine that Trump isn't guilty of anything. But like the impulsive kid who is told to stay away, that advice seems to impel him to do it anyway.