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Rosenstein Out? (Update: WH Denies)
From Political Wire:
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has verbally resigned to Chief of Staff John Kelly in anticipation of being fired by President Trump, Axios reports.
Per a second source with direct knowledge: “He’s expecting to be fired,” so he plans to step down.
Update: Sources close to Rosenstein deny he’s resigned.
Apparently he’s heading to the WH for a meeting with the President where he expects to get fired.
Update 2: WP reporting he’s offered his resignation. Unclear if it was accepted. NYT says “It was not immediately clear whether he expected to be fired by Mr. Trump or whether he planned to resign.”
Update 3: (From @jon)
Statement on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein: pic.twitter.com/yBgAydv9oR
— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) September 24, 2018
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Published in General
I did not read McCarthy’s words. I always find him well worth my attention. But… I also don’t like to call people liars.
It’s like yelling fire in the proverbial crowded theater. If there really is a fire you have to yell it. If someone is lying (bearing false witness, committing perjury) your only alternative are calling them a liar or letting them get away with it. And if you chose the latter you’re as morally responsible for destroying an innocent life as the liar.
But the rumors are more fun.
So it seems we aren’t doing this, then? I can’t believe they would schedule Rosengeden on the same day as Kavanaugh Mania. Space these things out people.
This analogy makes no sense. I said that I don’t like calling people liars. If there is proof – absolute proof – that is different. And I resent your tone implying that I am somehow culpable. Kindly refrain from commenting on my comments.
That not how this works.
That’s crazy talk.
And if I comment on the comment asking me not to comment?
We don’t have to like each other, George. Just civil.
You don’t? It’s just another typical slam on President Trump.
Spacing things out would defeat the point.
It’s not unreasonable that the White House put out the initial leak to distract from Kavanaugh. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d done something like that.
The best move is for Trump to blame the press publicly, but express doubts and concern in the private meeting about what Rosenstein did say, then leave him in place for now. There are several advantages to this strategy:
At this point Rosenstein reminds me a bit of Fredo in the Godfather movies. Even though Michael knows his brother Fredo has betrayed him, Michael makes it clear to the people around him that no one is to harm his brother while their mother is alive. The implication is that the sentence has been passed, but is held in abeyance until an appropriate time in the future. Nobody thinks Michael has forgiven or forgotten, and both his self-restraint and unshakeable purpose are clear. To the outside world, the twilight state in which Fredo survives a while longer is more far more chilling than a quick release would have been. At the same time, being human, Fredo lives suspended between terror, hope, and resignation, and is on very good behavior until his time comes. And it must come, so that all can see how Michael rewards betrayal.
How the President delivers the message to Rosenstein is important here. I recommend something along these lines:
https://youtu.be/DjUOBVAbGhQ
Just one final thing for the record: There is no way that my comment can be adjudged to be uncivil. I merely said that I would take it as a kindness if you exercise the very civil judgement of ignoring me, as I will surely exercise the reverse.
Well someone has to do it.
Russiagate is already dead. Peter Strzok killed it with his “We’ll stop it.” text. No evidence that he was ever within a mile of will ever be admissible in court.
Yes, someone has to do it, because tired, boring anti-Trump comments are such a rare thing.
More rare than tired, boring pro-Trump comments. Embrace the duality of our existence.
Then why are you guys freaking out so much about it. Make up your minds, already.
What was the first time? This seems extraordinarily well orchestrated for a White House that we keep hearing is characterized by incompetence.
It will be interesting now to see how Rosenstein behaves. The first thing he should be required to do is declassify the requested pages and 302’s.
While it’s true the Trump White House can’t seem to find its ass with both hands, Donald Trump is very good about doing or saying dramatic things to change the news story.
It is an old tactic that Trump knows well.
Rosenstein should be fired for not recusing himself. He signed those some of those FISA warrants and has an interest in protecting the soft coup.
LOL.