Rosenstein at DoJ appoints Special Counsel to oversee Russia investigation!!

[Green Line]

Bad.  This isn't enough.  We need an INDEPENDENT COMMISSION, like the 9.11 commission.  Dont let this distract you. 

[Statilius the Epicurean]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

Rosenstein made the appointment (presumably because Sessions is recused).

The man who threatened to resign after the White House tried to make him the fall-guy for the Comey firing...

[ProudModerate2]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

This is somewhat strange.
Why did it come from Rosenstein and not Sessions ?
Did (and can) Rosenstein by-pass (go over) Sessions, and do this all based on his judgment alone ? I don't know enough about how the (DoJ and Special Council) procedure(s) work in this matter.

[I Won - Get Over It]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

Rosenstein made the appointment (presumably because Sessions is recused).

Ok. It sounds a bit strange given Rosenstein's "firing" memo.

[Gass3268]

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[Middle-aged Europe]

Guys, guys, did you actually believe that Donald Trump would agree to appoint an investigator who looks into his presidential campaign's ties to Russia just after he fired James Comey because he wouldn't "let it go"??

This is Rosenstein attempting to save his reputation. The possibility of another Saturday Night Massacre (this time including Rosenstein and Mueller) still remains. I guess the latter depends on whether Ivanka will be able to calm her father down now.

[GeorgiaModerate]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

This is somewhat strange.
Why did it come from Rosenstein and not Sessions ?
Did (and can) Rosenstein by-pass (go over) Sessions, and do this all based on his judgment alone ? I don't know enough about how the (DoJ and Special Council) procedure(s) work in this matter.

Here's the full text of the order establishing this one: https://www.scribd.com/document/348673310/Order-3915-2017-Special-Counsel

[The_Doctor]

Mueller also has civil service protections so he can't be fired by Trump

Proof? I think Trump can remove him from the investigation or Sessions can.

[I Won - Get Over It]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

This is somewhat strange.
Why did it come from Rosenstein and not Sessions ?
Did (and can) Rosenstein by-pass (go over) Sessions, and do this all based on his judgment alone ? I don't know enough about how the (DoJ and Special Council) procedure(s) work in this matter.

This is basically my question. Didn't Sesions have at least some kind of passive involvement?

[Confused Democrat]

Mueller also has civil service protections so he can't be fired by Trump

Proof? I think Trump can remove him from the investigation or Sessions can.

It was my understanding that only Rosenstein can remove Mueller.

[GeorgiaModerate]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

This is somewhat strange.
Why did it come from Rosenstein and not Sessions ?
Did (and can) Rosenstein by-pass (go over) Sessions, and do this all based on his judgment alone ? I don't know enough about how the (DoJ and Special Council) procedure(s) work in this matter.

This is basically my question. Didn't Sesions have at least some kind of passive involvement?

I don't know if we'll ever know if Sessions was in the loop, but the law on special counsels explicitly gives the acting AG the authority to appoint one on matters for which the AG is recused.  It's reasonable to assume that Rosenstein did this entirely on his own.

[ProudModerate2]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

This is somewhat strange.
Why did it come from Rosenstein and not Sessions ?
Did (and can) Rosenstein by-pass (go over) Sessions, and do this all based on his judgment alone ? I don't know enough about how the (DoJ and Special Council) procedure(s) work in this matter.

Here's the full text of the order establishing this one: https://www.scribd.com/document/348673310/Order-3915-2017-Special-Counsel

Ok. Thank you.
I also see from other Atlas responses (and I was reminded) that Sessions previously recused himself, from all matters pertaining to "Russia."
I forgot about that.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Mueller also has civil service protections so he can't be fired by Trump

Proof? I think Trump can remove him from the investigation or Sessions can.

It was my understanding that only Rosenstein can remove Mueller.

Yes, assuming the law is still the same in this regard, that's what triggered the Saturday Night Massacre during Watergate.  Nixon wanted the special prosecutor (Archibald Cox) removed, but could not fire him directly.  He ordered AG Elliott Richardson to fire Cox, but Richardson refused and resigned.  Nixon then ordered the Deputy AG, William Ruckelshaus, to fire Cox, and he followed Richardson's lead and resigned.  Nixon then went down the DoJ chain of command and got Robert Bork, the Solicitor General, to fire Cox. 

[Virginiá]

For the record, Special Counsel isn't the same as a Special Prosecutor:

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/10/15609794/independent-russia-trump-investigation-special-prosecutor

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Obviously it will do for now, and it does open up Trump to a situation where he might feel and act on the desire to fire the special counsel, which would really hurt his image even more than recent actions. However, it would be nice to have a truly independent commission or even a new special prosecutor law passed to free this whole investigation from partisan influence.

[Blue3]

If Trump removed Mueller (or Rosenstein now), then THAT would be a fair comparison to the "Saturday Night Massacre." It would make the last 10 days look like a kid's birthday party.


Rosenstein appointed him because Sessions is recused.

[Admiral Kizaru]

Mueller also has civil service protections so he can't be fired by Trump

Proof? I think Trump can remove him from the investigation or Sessions can.

https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/864973220654579716

[GeorgiaModerate]

For the record, Special Counsel isn't the same as a Special Prosecutor:

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/10/15609794/independent-russia-trump-investigation-special-prosecutor

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Obviously it will do for now, and it does open up Trump to a situation where he might feel and act on the desire to fire the special counsel, which would really hurt his image even more than recent actions. However, it would be nice to have a truly independent commission or even a new special prosecutor law passed to free this whole investigation from partisan influence.

Ah, thank you for that clarification.

[Gass3268]

Mueller also has civil service protections so he can't be fired by Trump

Proof? I think Trump can remove him from the investigation or Sessions can.

https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/864973220654579716

[Nyvin]

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http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/5/17/1663407/-Breaking-We-have-a-Special-Counsel

This guy kinda sounds like a badass.   Helps that he's buddy-buddy with Comey too.

[Gass3268]

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[Virginiá]

Mueller also has civil service protections so he can't be fired by Trump

Proof? I think Trump can remove him from the investigation or Sessions can.

https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/864973220654579716

I don't know enough about all that to say, but somehow I doubt civil service means Trump or at least Sessions/Rosenstein can't remove Mueller from this investigation even if he can't technically be fired. I'd like to see some clarification on that in particular.

[I Won - Get Over It]

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Interesting. Though I don't understand how one can verify it?

Still, good choice. 12 years as FBI Chief. They clearly want to make it look like a fair and reasonable exchange Comey-Mueller.

[ApatheticAustrian]

  CNN just said Mueller has the power to subpoena tax returns.






This is good for Trump in short term. Mueller won't leak. Investigation will go silent. Will take a few years.
https://twitter.com/jpodhoretz/status/864977628519944192

[Gass3268]

  CNN just said Mueller has the power to subpoena tax returns.






This is good for Trump in short term. Mueller won't leak. Investigation will go silent. Will take a few years.
https://twitter.com/jpodhoretz/status/864977628519944192

Months, not years.

[EnglishPete]

This is a brilliant move -- assuages concerns to a point, and will likely blot out coverage of the Comey memo, at least temporarily.

Taking this back, at least for the time being, since it seems like Trump may not have been involved in this decision.

But he is appointed by Justice Department. Could it really have happened without Sessions?

Rosenstein made the appointment (presumably because Sessions is recused).

The man who threatened to resign after the White House tried to make him the fall-guy for the Comey firing...

Except that there's absolutely no evidence that he did threaten to resign.