Sessions is out

[CitizenBBN]

Resigned this afternoon.

IMO regardless of the Mueller stuff, which will still go on and has been separate from Sessions from Day One, this was a needed move.

Sessions has been a terrible AG. Worst of my lifetime other than Holder, who was clearly corrupt at the highest levels.

His stance on seizure is offensive to anyone who believes in basic civil liberties, and his move to re-crack down on pot use was misguided and a waste, even if well intentioned.

I just don't see what he's done as AG that's helpful. That's beyond the political stuff with which we may disagree.

Rosenstein is another career Washington guy, he needs to go too. Bring in some lawyers who are non-Washington guys, see if they can clean up the mess.

[Doc]

Terrible is an understatement

[kingcat]

The next two months will be interesting. Im not a fan either but this has an added incentive behind it.

[CitizenBBN]

The next two months will be interesting. Im not a fan either but this has an added incentive behind it.

yes and no. Mueller is completely unaffected by this, EXCEPT that now a guy who is not either Sessions nor Rosenstein could end up revewing their work.

IMO that's a good thing. Alan dershowitz has correctly argued from the start that Rosenstein is conflicted, b/c he's a witness to the investigation. He should have recused himself, and had he done so the review would have fallen to the man who is now acting director.

And that man has a good rep and is not nearly so partisan as either Sessions or Rosenstein.

Rosenstein, as a guy who is clearly at least touched by the DOJ/FBI scandal and coverup, is also tainted, which taints the Mueller investigation. The proper course would be to go get a guy who is very much like the guy who will now be in charge.

If we want a truly objective, impartial Justice oversight role, then this guy is the guy. If we wanted a questionably partisan guy conducting it more like a motivated prosecutor, that's Rosenstein. Since that role falls to Mueller himself and Justice's role is neutral oversight, I think this is a good move even for the investigation.

But I coulnd't agree more the next few months will be very interesting indeed, on so many fronts.

But getting rid of Sessions was the right move. he was truly stunningly bad as AG.

[UKHistory]

Great points on civil forfeiture and the crackdown on weed.

Civil forfeiture is an issue that really puts into question if a free society is free.

[Doc]

yes and no. Mueller is completely unaffected by this, EXCEPT that now a guy who is not either Sessions nor Rosenstein could end up revewing their work.

IMO that's a good thing. Alan dershowitz has correctly argued from the start that Rosenstein is conflicted, b/c he's a witness to the investigation. He should have recused himself, and had he done so the review would have fallen to the man who is now acting director.

And that man has a good rep and is not nearly so partisan as either Sessions or Rosenstein.

Rosenstein, as a guy who is clearly at least touched by the DOJ/FBI scandal and coverup, is also tainted, which taints the Mueller investigation. The proper course would be to go get a guy who is very much like the guy who will now be in charge.

If we want a truly objective, impartial Justice oversight role, then this guy is the guy. If we wanted a questionably partisan guy conducting it more like a motivated prosecutor, that's Rosenstein. Since that role falls to Mueller himself and Justice's role is neutral oversight, I think this is a good move even for the investigation.

But I coulnd't agree more the next few months will be very interesting indeed, on so many fronts.

But getting rid of Sessions was the right move. he was truly stunningly bad as AG.

Actually the claim by the left, and the media lapdogs, is that this is Trumps attempt to shut down the Russia investigation...and yet another claim of "obstruction" since at some point it was clear that Mathew Whitaker felt the investigation had overstepped. Supposedly since it is reported he gave an opinion then he must be there to implementing a strategy of stopping it.

Whitaker argued in an August 2017 op-ed for CNN that Mueller's investigation is "dangerously close to crossing" the so-called red line not to look into the Trump family's finances.

"It does not take a lawyer or even a former federal prosecutor like myself to conclude that investigating Donald Trump's finances or his family's finances falls completely outside of the realm of his 2016 campaign and allegations that the campaign coordinated with the Russian government or anyone else," Whitaker wrote in the piece.

"That goes beyond the scope of the appointment of the special counsel."

Less than a month earlier, Whitaker had defended Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., for accepting a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 with Russian officials who had promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign.

"You would always take that meeting," Whitaker said on CNN.

Of course the left believes he should recuse himself. Yeah, because they believe everybody should recuse themselves. Only an idiot (see Sessions) would do that.

Nancy Pelosi
✔
@NancyPelosi
· Nov 7, 2018

It is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions’ firing as anything other than another blatant attempt by @realDonaldTrump to undermine & end Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation.

Nancy Pelosi
✔
@NancyPelosi

Given his record of threats to undermine & weaken the Russia investigation, Matthew Whitaker should recuse himself from any involvement in Mueller’s investigation. Congress must take immediate action to protect the rule of law and integrity of the investigation. #FollowTheFacts

In my book it is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions’ firing as anything other than a move to remove somebody who was ineffective at their job. Granted, that isn't the left standard. You keep people like James Comey, like Lois Lerner, like Loretta Lynch, like John Brennan, etc.... The left is fine with Rosenstein being involved, not recusing himself, a player involved in actual so called collusion...but somebody who wasn't yet offered the opinion that its gone too far should not be allowed to be involved is moronic.

[CitizenBBN]

Doc, they are fine if Rosenstein doesn't recuse himself. You know, the guy who talked about wearing a wire and trying to work behind the scenes to invoke the 25 Amendment. You know, someone objective, where "objective" means "on our side".

[Doc]

Doc, they are fine if Rosenstein doesn't recuse himself. You know, the guy who talked about wearing a wire and trying to work behind the scenes to invoke the 25 Amendment. You know, someone objective, where "objective" means "on our side".

Sorry.....I was editing my post as you were typing. Guess we are on the same page. No, he should not be involved in it. Now if he offered an opinion, fine. No issue there. But he did more than offer an opinion. He apparently attempted to entrap the president.

[UKHistory]

Rosenstein’s alleged comments—whether it was a serious plot or a poorly made joke—puts into question his objectivity.

Hard to keep rosenstein in place under normal circumstances. The real possibility that career folks in Justuce and potentially DOD are fearful of the Trump presidency to the extent of looking at ways to implement the 25th amendment says a lot.

Wherever one stands, the hyper partisanship and the reactions of many to Trump are really damaging our democracy.

[CitizenBBN]

Rosenstein is also a potential witness to the investigation, which as Alan Dershowitz has pointed out repeatedly, automatically requires him to recuse himself. Clearly a witness to an investigation should not be overseeing that investigation.

The reaction to Trump, his ability to get people riled up but also just the myopic reaction of the Left to the news so many Americans actually disagree with them IMO, has led to a complete loss of perspective.

Trump is polarizing as can be, but part of why he's so polarizing is the reaction. The reaction of the media is absurdly negative, and that of course only proves his point so he then calls them out and the cycle repeats.

This weekend in EUrope Trump had maybe 1 tweet with anything controversial at all in it, so they spent the weekend criticizing him for NOT talking, picking his reactions like some bunch of useless Royal Family watchers reading into where people are standing at a parade review.

Of course while this happens none of the real business gets done, and it's going to get worse. Way worse.

[Doc]

Its funny that the Dems want Whitaker to recuse himself because of previous statements suggest a bias. I'd have no issue on that if they held themselves to the same standard. Going on that, Holder should have recused himself on any and every civil rights case since he has a long history of involvement. Ditto for any SCOTUS ruling on any abortion case. And its not like 3/4 of the DOJ has openly made anti-Trump rhetoric, or in some cases pillow talk. Good lord, Rosenstein agreed to wear a wire to give dirt on the President....and they think he is more capable than somebody who simply stated his opinion?

[CitizenBBN]

Doc, the hypocrisy is that they want Whitaker recused but they think Rosenstein is fine.

That's despite Rosenstein's comments AND the fact that he's a witness to the case.

They have no shame. Clearly if Whitaker has to recuse b/c of his comments then Rosenstein has to as well and we have to find someone else. That's fine if that's their argument, but their argument is they want their guy in charge. THat's no oversight, that's an extra prosecutor.