Trump, May 2017: 100 days of [unintelligible]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-asked-doj-for-a-rationale

This was a very closely kept credit at the White House. I’m told only a handful of top advisories knew this was coming. I am told just moments ago that the President himself has been considering this, been thinking about this for at least a week. Did not necessarily have the rationale when they first started talking about this but then asked the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General to look for that rationale and that explanation.

And indeed, I fully believe the WH types are that dumb

.@DanaBashCNN The thinking was that b/c Dems were saying precisely what Rosenstein said in his letter, that there wouldn’t be a backlash (@DanaBashCNN)

— David Wright (@DavidWright_CNN) May 9, 2017

I feel like we're going to need more than one thread for this month

Lmao

Berke Breathed, get on this stat

in other news, this is something a 12 yo would do. "I certified it at the post office!"

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-09/trump-preparing-certified-letter-attesting-to-no-russia-ties

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, May 9, 2017 6:09 PM (fifty-seven minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Sooooo WHEN his collusion is definitely proven (because every 'fire Comey'-esque move he makes severely erodes my skepticism wrt whether he himself was involved in the collusion), does this have any potential legal bearing? Like getting him transferred permanently into solitary confinement?

(I'm pretending for the moment that the rule of law won't get a definitive bullet to the back of the head sometime before year's end. Allow me my little dreams, won't you.)

oh MAN at this comey news. wow.

from the NYT coverage:

Mr. Comey, who is three years into a 10-year term at the helm of the F.B.I., learned from news reports that he had been fired while addressing bureau employees in Los Angeles. While Mr. Comey spoke, television screens in the background began flashing the news. Shortly after, a letter was delivered to F.B.I. Headquarters in Washington.

now that would have been a fun room to be in

so sen. mark warner is saying comey is still testifying on thursday. that sally yates / james clapper testimony was already too exciting

they'll just grill him on his handling of the hillary email server

i'd like to grill a lot of people right now, literally

I'm grilling a burger!

Whoops!

When James Comey first learned he had been fired, he thought it was a fairly funny prank https://t.co/cy1VYUKHJZ pic.twitter.com/QWqd8qNf5i

— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) May 10, 2017

yeah the GOP questions for Comey will be sheer insanity

...aaaand half the country will be "yeah, why wasn't Hillary sent to Gitmo??" *fart*

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/05/09/white-house-fires-fbi-director-james-comey.html

McCabe may have also violated Justice Department rules, which bar contacts between the FBI and WH officials, when he spoke to the president’s chief of staff about the ongoing investigation into Russia’s efforts to subvert the U.S. elections.
But even that leadership change could be short-lived. A well-wired federal law enforcement source told The Daily Beast rumors are also flying about McCabe’s potential resignation or firing. The source added that given current national security threats, it’s unlikely that would happen for the next few weeks.

my congressman:

Carlos Curbelo‏Verified account @carloslcurbelo 8m8 minutes ago

No one should find out via the television that they've been fired. If true, that's poor form and plain unprofessional. #Comey

yes, poor form donald

indelicate

#shocked

FBI Director Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton in that he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds! The phony...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2017

this is bleak

https://www.lawfareblog.com/nightmare-scenario-trump-fires-comey-one-man-who-would-stand-him

On November 10, we wrote that that Trump’s firing of Comey would be a “a clear bellwether to both the national security and civil libertarian communities that things are going terribly wrong.”

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/09/politics/grand-jury-fbi-russia/index.html

that lawfare thing is a bad take

Benjamin Wittes (of lawfare) and Comey are close friends.

Re.: Rudy. He still has a weird amount of sway over righties despite stuff like

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--XZ2iqGJI--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/m3pqbpuxpz5jzjuk74l9.png

that lawfare thing is a bad take

Genuine q - how so? Given you have a p good inside take on all this crap.

i'm a charter school teacher you tedious piece of shit

― the late great, Tuesday, May 9, 2017 5:39 PM

ok, that seemed like one obvious explanation for yr gross overreaction. nothing personal.

Yam finally did something you guys wanted Obama to do last fall, why the long faces?

Bc its a coup

this crew couldn't do a coup if you gave em help from old Pinochet guys

True!

But timing is everything doc

lmao

Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, "I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer." Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp

— President Trump (@POTUS) May 10, 2017

Oy

Weird to see someone who knows the word "indignant" copying Trump's style

Genuine q - how so? Given you have a p good inside take on all this crap.

I won't disagree with any of the bleakness but it's sloppy and, like, get one editor please

i'm almost getting sick of all this winning

When you've lost Joe Morning...

Senate Republicans should not confirm any Trump pick for FBI Director until an independent prosecutor is appointed on Russia.

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 10, 2017

Atonin' Joe

Kasich is making hay

Gov. John Kasich statement on James Comey pic.twitter.com/Wrwj6sGqnz

— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) May 10, 2017

Yes this is definitely a moment when "both parties" should be called out equally

Tomorrow's NYT. pic.twitter.com/dAdR6WtiiB

— Jake Silverstein (@jakesilverstein) May 10, 2017

so the "while i greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that i am not under investigation" part is trump's way of passive-aggressively (and very publicly, like a fucking moron) retaliating against comey once he learned that the fbi is investigating trump directly, i guess?

Paper of Record Gets One More Chance to Put "Clinton Email Case" above Fold

Meanwhile:

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - New South Korean leader says he's willing to visit rival Pyongyang under right conditions

— Josh Lederman (@joshledermanAP) May 10, 2017

fbi director chris christie

Karl: yes of course it is

http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2017/05/quick-note-comey-firing

Wtf is this denying the investigation "3 times" st peter bullshit?

If you ask the FBI director if he's investigating you 3 times he has to tell the truth.

He had grown enraged by the Russia investigation, two advisers said, frustrated by his inability to control the mushrooming narrative around Russia. He repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn’t disappear and demanded they speak out for him. He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/10/comey-firing-trump-russia-238192

o m g

Like any of that is a surprise.