Comey fired

[Stevil]

(11-05-2017 03:14 AM)RocketSurgeon76 Wrote:  Except when Dick fired Cox, the US congress was not controlled entirely by the same party as the President, and they were willing/able to do something about it... this time, they're already making excuses and even suggesting that anyone who wants to see this investigated is just partisan, dishonest, etc.

It's genuinely disturbing.

What I don't get, is the reluctance for an independent investigation.

It would quell all this mistrust and rumors if there was an independent.
If the president is innocent, would he be keen to get to the bottom of it, especially if it means draining the swamp from his own party.

What is the cost of an independent investigation? Why would it be used as a last resort?

On CNN they said there were two reasons for the firing of Comey
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/10/politi...index.html

Quote:1. Comey never provided the President with any assurance of personal loyalty.
2. The fact that the FBI's investigation into possible Trump team collusion with Russia in the 2016 election was accelerating.

Now if item 1 is true, would that also be grounds for impeachment? The FBI are supposed to be independent, you can't demand personal loyalty.
If Trump had been pressuring Comey on this then surely Comey would have been under legal obligation to lay a complaint.
Of course the CNN article is a theory and not necessary true.

But it's natural, given the scope and timing of the firing to come to these theories.
People will naturally think Trump is intentionally hindering the investigation. He could correct this by demanding an independent investigation.

His reluctance to do this and his insistence on waving it off and calling it Fake News is alarming of itself.

But because he is so weird, people cut him more slack than a person that would be expected to follow normal protocol.
The Republican supporters are still hanging off every word, every assertion made by Trump.

[Dom]

Apparently the president ran "white hot" from the moment Comey said he got slightly nauseous when he thought that he may have influenced an election.

This is his second rage phase since he took office. They were less than 3 months apart. The last time he raged someone was able to take pics through a white house window. That's when all the rumors about turmoil in the White House took off.

If I am right about the malignant narcissism, the pauses between rages will get shorter and shorter as we go. His relatives might be able to slow it all some - but he would be heading for a melt down.

We'll see.

[Stevil]

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/11/politi...=permalink

Quote:The White House said Thursday that by removing FBI Director from his post, the agency's investigation into Russian meddling might end sooner.

"We want this to come to its conclusion, we want it to come to its conclusion with integrity," deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders said. "And we think that we've actually by removing Director Comey taken steps to make that happen."

Doesn't this qualify as White house influencing an FBI investigation into the White house?

[abaris]

(11-05-2017 01:16 PM)Stevil Wrote:  Doesn't this qualify as White house influencing an FBI investigation into the White house?

Unless the republican dominated houses grow some balls, there's nothing anyone can do about this. Least of all Trump's cheerleaders, who will go on celebrating his greatness even if he personally comes by to fuck them over.

Well, maybe Comey won't stay as silent as they hope he'll be, but even that will only make for a few headlines most of the people don't read.

[GirlyMan]

(11-05-2017 03:33 AM)Stevil Wrote:  What I don't get, is the reluctance for an independent investigation.

I think the implication in calling for an independent investigation is that there is criminal activity afoot. I think it'll happen but I think I agree with the Republicscams that they should take it slow and see how the congressional investigations pan out. Plus the longer the Demobrats can keep the now legislatively neutered shitgibbon in office, the longer they don't have to worry about President Pence. Unlike the angry little man, Pence and a Republican Congress will get their inhumane shit done. Shitgibbon is feckless now.

[Heath_Tierney]

Is Trump's thin skin getting in the way of his presidency?

From the article:

Quote:... a huge amount of leaks this week suggest Mr Trump was upset by the Comey testimony at the Senate last week... This hit right at President Trump's psychological weak spot - the legitimacy of his victory in the election.

Mr Trump frequently talks up the size of his win in November and often disparages people, or photos, or agencies that suggest he didn't win big. He still does so, six months after the election.

But is being thin-skinned now getting in the way of his ability to do his job effectively? The sacking of James Comey might be evidence of that.

[Shai Hulud]

Possibly related:

FBI raids offices of Maryland Republican Campaign Consultant

Quote:The FBI raided a Republican campaign consultant's Annapolis office Thursday, causing Maryland Republican lawmakers to say they will stop doing business with the firm.

Kelley Rogers, president of Strategic Campaign Group, said a half-dozen FBI agents arrived at his Main Street office about 8:30 a.m. with a warrant to search and seize records. The FBI confirmed it conducted a raid in Annapolis but would not say where. An individual carrying a backpack marked FBI was seen leaving the firm's office.

Rogers, whose firm has previously worked with campaign committees for Maryland House of Delegates and Senate candidates, said the FBI investigation concerns work the firm performed during the 2013 Virginia gubernatorial campaign of former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican. Rogers insisted the investigation did not involve Maryland politics and that the firm had done nothing wrong.

He said that if any clients want to be released from their contracts, he will free them.

Maryland Republicans quickly took him up on that offer. Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings, of Baltimore County, and House Minority Leader Nic Kipke, of Anne Arundel County, confirmed that campaign committees for GOP senators and delegates had hired the firm to raise money and do other work before the 2017 session. Both said their committees would not use the firm again until its legal issues were resolved.

"I'm shocked by what has come to light today and we will not be working with them on any new projects until the legal process is completed and they are cleared," Kipke said just hours after the raid.

Jennings said the company did satisfactory work last year but added that GOP senators haven't been in touch with the firm since the session ended last month.

"I think should we hire a company, we would look elsewhere," he said.

According to Rogers, his firm settled a civil suit brought by the Cuccinelli campaign after he lost the 2013 Virginia governor's race to Democrat Terry McAuliffe. Rogers said the investigation appears to stem from allegations brought in that suit.

The Cuccinelli suit alleged that Strategic Campaign Group and the associated Conservative Strike Force Political Action Committee — an independent group not affiliated with the candidate — raised about $2.2 million by assuring donors it would spend the money to help elect the GOP candidate. The suit alleged that the PAC and Strategic Campaign Group failed to follow through on promises of an extensive media campaign on Cuccinelli's behalf.

Rogers said his firm settled the dispute for what he recalls as $75,000. Press accounts put the amount at $85,000. Rogers insisted Thursday that the Cuccinelli campaign claims have no merit.

The GOP strategist and firm vice president Chip O'Neil spoke to reporters while FBI agents were still working in the office Thursday. Both spoke without lawyers present.

Rogers praised the professionalism of the agents and predicted the investigation would clear his name and that of the firm.

"The truth shall set you free," he said.

Rogers said agents arrived without notice and presented a search warrant. He said they took records and downloaded other information from the firm's computers.

FBI spokeswoman Lindsay Ram said the investigation is being conducted through the bureau's Washington field office, which has jurisdiction in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. She said agents from the office sometimes cross over into other jurisdictions when the entity they are investigating has offices in multiple locations. She declined to provide more details.

Baltimore Sun Media Group reporter John McNamara contributed to this article.

[Dom]

(11-05-2017 02:43 PM)Heath_Tierney Wrote:  Is Trump's thin skin getting in the way of his presidency?

From the article:

Quote:... a huge amount of leaks this week suggest Mr Trump was upset by the Comey testimony at the Senate last week... This hit right at President Trump's psychological weak spot - the legitimacy of his victory in the election.

Mr Trump frequently talks up the size of his win in November and often disparages people, or photos, or agencies that suggest he didn't win big. He still does so, six months after the election.

But is being thin-skinned now getting in the way of his ability to do his job effectively? The sacking of James Comey might be evidence of that.

He said from the start that he wants to dismantle the intelligence system, they are crooks. He says so much that people don't listen to him anymore. The intelligence agencies, the judicial and really all government agencies are on the butcher block. He has even said this about the generals... that's his national political ambition.

His disorder complicates things - and may speed some of these plans up as he grows more and more frustrated. He can't wait to bathe in puppet parades and cheering crowds like Un. Any indication to the opposite infuriates him. There is a lot of suppressed anger boiling in him....

[Shai Hulud]

Possibly related:

FBI raids offices of Maryland Republican Campaign Consultant

Quote:The FBI raided a Republican campaign consultant's Annapolis office Thursday, causing Maryland Republican lawmakers to say they will stop doing business with the firm.

Kelley Rogers, president of Strategic Campaign Group, said a half-dozen FBI agents arrived at his Main Street office about 8:30 a.m. with a warrant to search and seize records. The FBI confirmed it conducted a raid in Annapolis but would not say where. An individual carrying a backpack marked FBI was seen leaving the firm's office.

Rogers, whose firm has previously worked with campaign committees for Maryland House of Delegates and Senate candidates, said the FBI investigation concerns work the firm performed during the 2013 Virginia gubernatorial campaign of former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican. Rogers insisted the investigation did not involve Maryland politics and that the firm had done nothing wrong.

He said that if any clients want to be released from their contracts, he will free them.

Maryland Republicans quickly took him up on that offer. Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings, of Baltimore County, and House Minority Leader Nic Kipke, of Anne Arundel County, confirmed that campaign committees for GOP senators and delegates had hired the firm to raise money and do other work before the 2017 session. Both said their committees would not use the firm again until its legal issues were resolved.

"I'm shocked by what has come to light today and we will not be working with them on any new projects until the legal process is completed and they are cleared," Kipke said just hours after the raid.

Jennings said the company did satisfactory work last year but added that GOP senators haven't been in touch with the firm since the session ended last month.

"I think should we hire a company, we would look elsewhere," he said.

According to Rogers, his firm settled a civil suit brought by the Cuccinelli campaign after he lost the 2013 Virginia governor's race to Democrat Terry McAuliffe. Rogers said the investigation appears to stem from allegations brought in that suit.

The Cuccinelli suit alleged that Strategic Campaign Group and the associated Conservative Strike Force Political Action Committee — an independent group not affiliated with the candidate — raised about $2.2 million by assuring donors it would spend the money to help elect the GOP candidate. The suit alleged that the PAC and Strategic Campaign Group failed to follow through on promises of an extensive media campaign on Cuccinelli's behalf.

Rogers said his firm settled the dispute for what he recalls as $75,000. Press accounts put the amount at $85,000. Rogers insisted Thursday that the Cuccinelli campaign claims have no merit.

The GOP strategist and firm vice president Chip O'Neil spoke to reporters while FBI agents were still working in the office Thursday. Both spoke without lawyers present.

Rogers praised the professionalism of the agents and predicted the investigation would clear his name and that of the firm.

"The truth shall set you free," he said.

Rogers said agents arrived without notice and presented a search warrant. He said they took records and downloaded other information from the firm's computers.

FBI spokeswoman Lindsay Ram said the investigation is being conducted through the bureau's Washington field office, which has jurisdiction in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. She said agents from the office sometimes cross over into other jurisdictions when the entity they are investigating has offices in multiple locations. She declined to provide more details.

Baltimore Sun Media Group reporter John McNamara contributed to this article.

Also McCabe, the acting FBI Director has testified before the Senate that the White House's statements on James Comey's firing are "not accurate".

[Heath_Tierney]

(11-05-2017 02:54 PM)Dom Wrote:  He said from the start that he wants to dismantle the intelligence system, they are crooks. He says so much that people don't listen to him anymore. The intelligence agencies, the judicial and really all government agencies are on the butcher block. He has even said this about the generals... that's his national political ambition.

I think that's more Bannon pulling the strings behind the scenes, not Trump himself, since Trump simply doesn't have the intellectual capacity to think things through in that manner.

Bannon has been very candid about dismantling the state, even going so far as to call himself a Leninist.

Steve Bannon Wrote:I want to bring everything crashing down and destroy all of today’s establishment.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...eve-bannon

Recently, Bannon has been on the "outs" in the administration and his influence may be waning. But make no mistake: he's still a powerful force of the alt-right, and maybe Russia, that continues to pull Trump's strings.