The Comey firing

 

"President Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey on Tuesday, at the recommendation of senior Justice Department officials who said he had treated Hillary Clinton unfairly and in doing so damaged the credibility of the FBI and the Justice Department.

The startling development comes as Comey was leading a counterintelligence investigation to determine whether associates of Trump may have coordinated with Russia to interfere with the U.S. presidential election last year. It wasn’t immediately clear how Comey’s ouster will affect the Russia probe, but Democrats said they were concerned that his ouster could derail the investigation."  washpost

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For the record I think this was a very foolish thing to do while the FBI is in he midst of several investigations that involve President Trump's equities.  pl         

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/comey-misstated-key-clinton-email-evidence-at-hearing-say-people-close-to-investigation/2017/05/09/074c1c7e-34bd-11e7-b373-418f6849a004_story.html?utm_term=.923e05f85dbc

Comments

[Lars]

It is seriously foolish for the reasons stated. This just trows more fuel on a growing brush fire. The nation needs to find out what the Russians did in the recent election and also needs to know if they was aided and abetted by any Americans. The stated reasons for the action are not credible.

We may very well have the most corrupt administration ever and a lot of sunshine is needed. What Russia did should be considered a hostile action and it needs to be counteracted and made sure that it cannot be repeated.

I don't think this can be accomplished without an independent entity looking at this. This should not be a partisan issue. It is an American national security issue.

[LeaNder]

Yes, curious, considering the supposed reason.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that Comey’s deputy, Andrew McCabe, would be the acting director of the FBI. As a presidential candidate, Trump explicitly criticized Comey and McCabe for their roles in the Clinton probe while at other points praising Comey for his “guts.”

the guts, or what it may relate to, came admittedly first to mind when the news reached me.

How would this decision register on his supporters mind, if polled? Maybe not at all, since while he may have helped the Trump camp by going public shortly before the election, he didn't exactly offer them the desired fruit: lock her up.

[turcopolier]

LeaNder et al

SWMBO recommends Sally Yates to be the FBI director. I concur. Trump needs to appoint someone the Dems will trust. pl

[Tyler]

To be quite fair, the Democrats were going to "investigate" Trump (read: allegate on MSNBC) until the heat death of the sun. Might as well be hung for a cow as a calf.

Of more interest is the Democratic whiplash on how the flag is falling. I think they should ride the "Russians hacked the election" meme into 2024. I haven't seen enough of Maxine Waters crazy ass inventing conspiracies out of thin air.

[Valissa]

It's about time that Comey was fired, IMO. Diane Feinstein recently admitted there was nothing to prosecute Trump for in a widely cited interview with Wolf Blitzer recently, following meetings she attended with the FBI and CIA. More info on that in my comment here http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2017/05/imo-the-de-escalation-zones-are-a-clever-trick-thank-god.html#comment-6a00d8341c72e153ef01bb0998d008970d

The timing of this firing appears to correlate with the recent 96-4 confirmation of the Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein, who made the recommendation.

The quote used for this post comes from the first part of the WaPo article. From further down...

"Officials released a Tuesday memo from the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, laying out the rationale behind Comey’s dismissal and attributing it all to his handling of the Clinton case. Officials said Rosenstein began examining Comey’s conduct shortly after being sworn into office two weeks ago.

“The FBI’s reputation and credibility have suffered substantial damage, and it has affected the entire Department of Justice,” Rosenstein wrote. “I cannot defend the director’s handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton’s emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken. Almost everyone agrees that the director made serious mistakes; it is one of the few issues that unites people of diverse perspectives.”
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Here is some background on Rosenstein, who is well respected all around...
Rosenstein Pegged to Bring Experience, Stability to DOJ http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202784493347/Rosenstein-Pegged-to-Bring-Experience-Stability-to-DOJ?slreturn=20170410085630
Attorneys are looking to Rosenstein, a lifelong public servant, to bring a dose of stability to the U.S. Department of Justice after the U.S. Senate confirmed him 94-6 as the deputy attorney general Tuesday. President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has already hit a series of speed bumps during its first few months, including the sudden firing of 46 President Barack Obama-era U.S. attorneys, failed attempts to defend the president’s immigration executive orders and Sessions' recusal from an investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Lawyers who’ve worked with Rosenstein, including superiors, subordinates and defense attorneys, say his no-nonsense leadership style and distaste for politics will help steer the Justice Department through the transition period. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland did not reply to requests for comment, but in interviews with nearly a dozen former colleagues and defense attorneys, Rosenstein, 52, comes across as a lawyer-manager who prioritizes efficiency, wants cases resolved expediently, values detail-oriented work and listens to opposing viewpoints.
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Here is Jonathan Turley's take...
https://jonathanturley.org/2017/05/09/trump-fires-fbi-director-james-comey/
I agree that the timing is concerning and legitimately questioned.  However, the Administration may also have waited for the Deputy Attorney General to be confirmed to allow a career prosecutor to review the matter and to concur with the decision. Democrats denounced Comey over his actions regarding the Clinton Administration.  The matter was given to the Deputy Attorney General who was just confirmed recently. 

President Trump took efforts in his letter state that Comey assured him that he was not under investigation.  He stated that  “While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgement of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau.”

The White House released a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a respected career prosecutor.  He found that Comey’s prior conduct did “substantial damage” to the FBI’s “reputation and credibility.”  He noted that the FBI Director is never empowered to supplant federal prosecutors and assume command of the Justice Department” and that his conduct was “a textbook example of what federal prosecutors and agents are taught not to do.”

Rosenstein served in both Republican and Democratic administrations. He is not viewed as a political hack.
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[Tyler]

Sir,

Respectfully, no.

There is no reconciliation with the Left in this country. You are either a tool or an enemy.

[O'Bryan]

Ahhh Jimmy-boy. We hardly knew ye...

[trinlae]

Brief but interesting profile of acting FBI director McCabe online here:

https://youtu.be/4iB2ZZ6zL5Q

[iowa steve]

I would only add that imho the firing is best understood as Trump conflating his role as the chief executive of a private business with his role as president. He wanted him fired. He had the power to fire him. So he fired him, with little thought--apparently--to the political context.

[Eric Newhill]

The problem is that there may never have been "a good time" to fire Comey. Are the Ds really going to ever let up on the investigations into Trump, Russia, etc? I doubt it. It's all they've got other than facing the truth that outside of universities and big coastal cities, few like them or their policies. And they are pathologically incapable of facing the truth.

I approve of the firing. It sends a strong signal that Trump isn't going to play that game and he will do whatever he thinks is right and necessary regardless of leftist histrionics. He will not be derailed. Excellent. Which swamp creature is next to be left high and dry?

[gaikokumaniakku]

Various anonymous online sources have claimed that the rank-and-file FBI agents were not happy that Comey declined to prosecute Clinton.

Julian Assange has exhorted the FBI to leak. The NYPD has exhorted the FBI to do its job.

There are very few people who trust the USA's media or the US government. Accusations have been made that Washington DC pizza parlors are involved in human trafficking, and that Clinton is part of that criminal network.

If any evidence were to come to light that high-ranking politicians were actually involved in human trafficking, many people would call for a purge of established politicians.

[Tyler]

Of course, Comey showed up to work today cause he couldn't read intent in his termination letter.

[Hood Canal Gardner]

Another foolish "20-20" diversion. The Gypse King man/traveling band still have bite mark space on their collective butts. How about the rest of us?

[JJackson]

"What Russia did should be considered a hostile action and it needs to be counteracted and made sure that it cannot be repeated."
What did Russia do that should be considered a hostile act? You seem to know more than I do about this I was not aware that Russia did anything.

[notlurking]

All I can say to you my friend .....hook, line, and sinker.....

[J]

I don't trust Yates any farther than I can throw a bull by the tail. She sure wouldn't be my recommendation, not for love nor money.

Look for the most honest, most steadfast current FBI person in the CI field and go with that individual.

[Sam Peralta]

"What Russia did should be considered a hostile action.."

And what exactly did the Russian government do that was hostile? Please provide some credible evidence. And does the US government do the same thing?

[William R. Cumming]

Going back to Hoover. the top FBI officials abhorred investigating drugs, and/or organized crime. These illegal activities drive American political corruption IMO especially FBI ops.

Hoover's fear was that illegal drugs and/or organized crime might corrupt the FBI itself.

Thus the DEA and DoJ organized crime strike forces the latter ending because of political pressure.

[Allen Thomson]

Rushed indeed, leading me to wonder if there's more than Trump's pique involved. One possibility is that the FBI was getting close to cutting a deal with Flynn to get him to talk and the WH knew it wouldn't like what he'd say.

[Gene O.]

Agree with your SWMBO. Either that or Senator from Georgia, or Governor.

[Fred]

Col.,

Well you did say Trump would be impeached early and often. I see that FBI acting Director McCabe's wife was a Democratic candidate for state senate in Virginia who is well connected to Clinton donors. I don't think the Republicans are going to find him very impartial. I agree with your prior post that the transcripts of Flynn's conversations should be declassified and released. That might clear the air a bit.

[Account Deleted]

Fox's take on events, for the record.

http://t.co/CXdmtdpecZ

[novicius]

Sally Yates does not have clean hands, imo.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/02/sally-yatess-legacy-of-injustice.php

[Fredw]

I see that this happened just about the time that subpoenas for the FBI's probe of Michael Flynn were being delivered. Any connection?

[Ghostship]

"The nation needs to find out what the Russians did in the recent election"
It's been six months since the election and they (probably FBI, CIA, and NSA) have found nothing, which suggests quite strongly to me that there is nothing to be found. If they'd found the slightest piece of evidence it would have leaked by now. How much longer should this be allowed to drag on for? Until the Democrats are happy? They'll never be happy because they believe Hillary's God-given right to be president has been usurped.