Donald Trump is the President Mark IV (Read Mod Warning in OP)

listermint · 24-09-2018 4:19pm

Reports saying Rosenstein wont go and will force resignation and wont go quietly.

Nody · 24-09-2018 4:19pm

everlast75 wrote: »

Conflicting report from NBC. We will have to wait a bit for the dust to settle to get the facts

Appears he asked other ministers and staff to record calls with Trump to prove he is not able to lead to force him out... Now that's some explosive stuff if true if the Republicans have started to turn on Trump already.

Professor Moriarty · 24-09-2018 4:20pm

Does this mean that Rosentstein will be relatively free to talk about what he knows? A la Comey?

Penn · 24-09-2018 4:20pm

Some sources now saying Rosenstein isn't resigning, and that may have been leaked by the WH to make it look like he is. He's apparently on his way to the WH and will force them to fire him. WH can't appoint an Acting AG to replace him if he's fired, only if he resigns.

jooksavage · 24-09-2018 4:20pm

Penn wrote: »

I'd be surprised if Mueller doesn't have something in contingency for all this, such as being ready to pass off all info to other departments who could likely still proceed with pursuing charges if there's enough evidence crimes have been committed. There'd only be so much Trump/Sessions/whoever could do to stop that without causing obstruction. Ultimately whether the investigation itself is closed up or has their hands tied, people have already plead guilty and arranged plea deals while offering up information. Those threads would still have to be brought to their conclusions.

I think a Democrat-controlled house would have the power to revive an investigation, or at least start a new one in the event that Trump kills off the current one. All that accumulated evidence isn't going to suddenly disappear, and Trump will have proved beyond doubt that he's willing to obstruct justice. There's hope!

Penn · 24-09-2018 4:20pm

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Does this mean that Rosentstein will be relatively free to talk about what he knows? A la Comey?

I'm guessing anything that's not classified, maybe.

Professor Moriarty · 24-09-2018 4:22pm

Penn wrote: »

I'm guessing anything that's not classified, maybe.

Not a smart move if he can talk.

Christy42 · 24-09-2018 4:23pm

I think this is one we have to wait on. Nothing overly concrete as of yet.

As for Mueller having a contingency plan. I am not sure there is much he can do. He can pass stuff off but not sure if that is a breach of security or if they can follow it up at all. The US system provides a lot of power to the president. If the public don't rebel against him killing investigations he is above the law as far as I can see.

Quin_Dub · 24-09-2018 4:24pm

It's very odd timing to say the least..

Trump is chairing the UN Security Council sessions this week and then you have the Kavanaugh ****-storm.

What "bad" news are they trying to hide/get head of by looking to get rid of Rosenstein now instead of any other day?

Penn · 24-09-2018 4:26pm

Quin_Dub wrote: »

It's very odd timing to say the least..

Trump is chairing the UN Security Council sessions this week and then you have the Kavanaugh ****-storm.

What "bad" news are they trying to hide/get head of by looking to get rid of Rosenstein now instead of any other day?

Has to be Kavanaugh, especially since the accusations against him now stands at four women and the hearing is supposed to be this week.

jooksavage · 24-09-2018 4:32pm

Quin_Dub wrote: »

It's very odd timing to say the least..

Trump is chairing the UN Security Council sessions this week and then you have the Kavanaugh ****-storm.

What "bad" news are they trying to hide/get head of by looking to get rid of Rosenstein now instead of any other day?

Indictments to drop for Don Jr and Kushner? Seems unlikely in the run-up to the mid-terms... but a clear move to kill the investigation with the Dems on the ascent in the polls is madness.

everlast75 · 24-09-2018 4:34pm

Isn't it crazy that all of the above scenarios are perfectly possible?

Without a doubt, we are living in a complete sh1tstorm, unprecedented in terms of scandal and ineptitude.

Quin_Dub · 24-09-2018 4:39pm

jooksavage wrote: »

Indictments to drop for Don Jr and Kushner? Seems unlikely in the run-up to the mid-terms... but a clear move to kill the investigation with the Dems on the ascent in the polls is madness.

No - Can't see Mueller doing anything right now.

Think earlier poster is correct , they know something about Kavanaugh.. We're now up to 4 people reporting inappropriate sexual behaviour. I suspect that they now think that they don't have the votes and that Kavanaugh is done..

MadYaker · 24-09-2018 4:43pm

He’s been summoned to the White House about 40 mins ago and expects to be fired it seems. I guess trump was hoping he could force his resignation but it looks like that won’t happen. If he resigns he can be replaced immediately but if he’s fired he can’t be as far as I understand it, Sessions takes over. Also the optics are bad if he’s fired.

duploelabs · 24-09-2018 4:51pm

Penn wrote: »

I'm guessing anything that's not classified, maybe.

I don't think he'll be able to considering Trump made his staff sign NDAs

pixelburp · 24-09-2018 4:52pm

Does being fired exclude a WH staffer from any (presumed) pensions, benefits or pay-offs? IIRC didn't Trump fire someone 1 day before they were retiring anyway, thus meaning they didn't get the aforementioned recompense?

24-09-2018 4:53pm

duploelabs wrote: »

I don't think he'll be able to considering Trump made his staff sign NDAs

If I remember correctly those nda's are legally dubious. Those people don't work for trump, they work for the US government.

everlast75 · 24-09-2018 4:53pm

duploelabs wrote: »

I don't think he'll be able to considering Trump made his staff sign NDAs

His NDAs are not enforceable (other than national security matters). See Omarosa

Penn · 24-09-2018 4:56pm

duploelabs wrote: »

I don't think he'll be able to considering Trump made his staff sign NDAs

I think it's already been proven that NDAs are non-enforceable, as they're employees of the US Government, not Trump, and as such speaking out would be protected under the First Amendment. That's why Omarosa & Comey were able to say/write about everything. I think so long as they don't break confidentiality clauses regarding national security or classified information, they're allowed to speak out about their own experiences.

duploelabs · 24-09-2018 4:59pm

Penn wrote: »

I think it's already been proven that NDAs are non-enforceable, as they're employees of the US Government, not Trump, and as such speaking out would be protected under the First Amendment. That's why Omarosa & Comey were able to say/write about everything. I think so long as they don't break confidentiality clauses regarding national security or classified information, they're allowed to speak out about their own experiences.

Good, next question. Doesn't the firing of RR mean that DT can install someone with the power to fire Robert Muller since Sessions has recuesed himself?

Rjd2 · 24-09-2018 4:59pm

pixelburp wrote: »

Does being fired exclude a WH staffer from any (presumed) pensions, benefits or pay-offs? IIRC didn't Trump fire someone 1 day before they were retiring anyway, thus meaning they didn't get the aforementioned recompense?

Does it matter? Odds are the resistance will buy him a house like they have others.

Itssoeasy · 24-09-2018 5:03pm

everlast75 wrote: »

His NDAs are not enforceable (other than national security matters). See Omarosa

Yeah the toilet roll in the White House has more strength that a trump NDAs.

Water John · 24-09-2018 5:03pm

If Rosenstein is fired by Kelly today, Francisco is whom Mueller reports to. If he resigns Trump can appoint anyone who's already vetted for 4 months.
That guy is Solicitor General I think.

Penn · 24-09-2018 5:04pm

duploelabs wrote: »

Good, next question. Doesn't the firing of RR mean that DT can install someone with the power to fire Robert Muller since Sessions has recuesed himself?

From my reading of it, DT can only pick his replacement if RR resigns. However, if the WH/DT fire RR, they can't. It's a completely different process, likely requiring Senate hearings/confirmation etc, at which even if Democrats don't win big in the upcoming elections, they could force the nominee to promise not to end or restrict the Mueller investigation, which if the nominee agreed to, could make them end up like Sessions in that they effectively recuse themselves from it.

If a nominee didn't agree to leave the investigation alone, it could prevent them from being nominated at all, depending on if enough Republicans actually care about protecting the investigation as they've claimed they do.

It all depends on whether RR or as Water John says, his replacement, resign or are fired. I doubt RR will resign given how much he's already withstood DT's complaints about the Mueller Investigation.

Professor Moriarty · 24-09-2018 5:05pm

Water John wrote: »

If Rosenstein is fired by Kelly today, Francisco is whom Mueller reports to. If he resigns Trump can appoint anyone who's already vetted for 4 months.

Another report (BBC) that Kelly rejected his resignation.

pixelburp · 24-09-2018 5:05pm

Rjd2 wrote: »

Does it matter? Odds are the resistance will buy him a house like they have others.

What? Who and what houses?

No it doesn't matter, but I'm curious as to what contractual obligations staffers might avail of. If nothing else it might factor into Rossenstein's decision if his pension is on the line.

24-09-2018 5:07pm

Penn wrote: »

If a nominee didn't agree to leave the investigation alone, it could prevent them from being nominated at all, depending on if enough Republicans actually care about protecting the investigation as they've claimed they do.

I think they will tow the party line and bury it. Then they will say its time to move on there's been enough division etc etc.

Rjd2 · 24-09-2018 5:09pm

pixelburp wrote: »

What? Who and what houses?

No it doesn't matter, but I'm curious as to what contractual obligations staffers might avail of. If nothing else it might factor into Rossenstein's decision if his pension is on the line.

Comey, Cohen, Pete Strzok to name a few all profited hugely from the resistance. I assume Rossenstein will be no different.

Itssoeasy · 24-09-2018 5:15pm

There seems to be a lot of conflicting stories around the rosenstein firing/resigning. It seems reporters are being told different things from sources that normally would know.

jooksavage · 24-09-2018 5:18pm

Rjd2 wrote: »

Comey, Cohen, Pete Strzok to name a few all profited hugely from the resistance. I assume Rossenstein will be no different.

Cohen? You mean the friendless, unemployed former goon currently waiting for a jail sentence? Yeah... he's a real resistance hero.

Donald Trump is the President Mark IV (Read Mod Warning in OP)

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