The New York Times's blockbuster report that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein broached the subject of seeking President Trump 's ouster cannot be separated from his appointment of a special counsel.
Rosenstein also knew that the regulations expressly create no enforceable rights against the Justice Department - i.e., no one, not even a federal court, can compel DOJ to follow the rules.
On May 9, 2017, Rosenstein authored the memo he well knew would be used by the president to justify Comey's firing.
The Times describes Rosenstein as an emotional wreck after Comey's firing, worrying about the damage to his good reputation.
Immediately after Comey was dismissed, Rosenstein let it be known that Trump seemed incompetent in interviews of candidates to run the FBI. Though he had shredded Comey in his May 9 memo, Rosenstein reportedly began telling FBI officials that he wished Comey were still running the FBI, and even contemplated consulting Comey on appointment of a special counsel.
Rosenstein even contemplated appointing former President Obama's deputy attorney general, James Cole, before ultimately appointing Robert Mueller, the former Obama and Bush FBI director - Comey's predecessor and longtime colleague.
Imposing a special counsel on Trump, like absurdly suggesting that the president should be removed from office, signaled to the audience that Rosenstein cared about - Washington insiders - that he was with them: If Trump could not be ousted, Rosenstein would at least have him monitored by a prosecutor.
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/408250-rosenstein-guided-by-politics-not-a-pursuit-of-justice
Rosenstein also knew that the regulations expressly create no enforceable rights against the Justice Department - i.e., no one, not even a federal court, can compel DOJ to follow the rules.
On May 9, 2017, Rosenstein authored the memo he well knew would be used by the president to justify Comey's firing.
The Times describes Rosenstein as an emotional wreck after Comey's firing, worrying about the damage to his good reputation.
Immediately after Comey was dismissed, Rosenstein let it be known that Trump seemed incompetent in interviews of candidates to run the FBI. Though he had shredded Comey in his May 9 memo, Rosenstein reportedly began telling FBI officials that he wished Comey were still running the FBI, and even contemplated consulting Comey on appointment of a special counsel.
Rosenstein even contemplated appointing former President Obama's deputy attorney general, James Cole, before ultimately appointing Robert Mueller, the former Obama and Bush FBI director - Comey's predecessor and longtime colleague.
Imposing a special counsel on Trump, like absurdly suggesting that the president should be removed from office, signaled to the audience that Rosenstein cared about - Washington insiders - that he was with them: If Trump could not be ousted, Rosenstein would at least have him monitored by a prosecutor.
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/408250-rosenstein-guided-by-politics-not-a-pursuit-of-justice
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