The McCabe memo: Trump asked Rosenstein to absolve him on Russia
Mark Sumner
Daily Kos Staff
Thursday May 31, 2018 · 5:52 AM PDT
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/20...ein-to-absolve-him-on-Russia?detail=emaildkre
Funny how, there are so many law enforcement guys-some of whom, are Republicans that Twittler actually appointed-who are lining up to speak against him. Of course, THEY'RE all lying, and HE is the Beacon of Truth...:hahahahah!
When dealing with Donald Trump, everyone seems inspired to take notes. Not only did former FBI Director James Comey feel that Trump’s requests were so over the line that he followed each White House visit or phone call with a cleansing trip to his keyboard, the man who replaced Comey at the helm, former Acting Director Andrew McCabe, also took time to write a memo. And the subject of that memo was Trump’s on-going effort to get someone to clear him from the Russia investigation before it really began.
According to the New York Times, Trump originally instructed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to include a mention of Russia in the excuse Trump told him to create for firing Comey. It’s not clear just what kind of mention that might be, though one person involved in the situation suggested that Trump didn’t really want Rosenstein to say that Comey was being fired because he wouldn’t stop the Russia investigation—the focus of the original Comey firing letter written by Trump and Stephen Miller, which has never been made public. Instead, Trump just wanted Rosenstein to give him a get-out-of-investigation in advance card, by stating in the letter that Trump was not a subject of the Russia investigation.
Rosenstein either didn’t feel this was necessary, or knew it wasn’t true, because he didn’t include that line in his note for Trump. But Trump took care of it himself, inserting a whole paragraph on the topic in the midst of his letter firing Comey.
Even though what the ‘corrupt mainstream media’ said was exactly what Trump himself wrote. And even though Trump’s original dismissal letter made it clear that Comey’s firing was very much about Russia.
As the Wall Street Journal reported, the original letter that Trump and Miller included a direct complaint that Comey would not give Trump the all-clear signal that he wanted.But other sources have indicated that the Trump-Miller letter was even more direct, including complaints not just that Comey wouldn’t clear Trump, but that he wouldn’t stop the investigation. That’s why someone in the White House legal office put the brakes on the original version and Trump called on Jeff Sessions and Rosenstein to write something less … legally inappropriate. That original letter has been described as “angry” and “meandering.” It also included complaints about how Comey had handled the Clinton investigation, but apparently from the other side, saying that Comey had been too soft on Clinton.
The letter has also been described as in the hands of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is using the letter as part of the investigation into Trump’s motives and actions concerning potential charges of obstruction.
But McCabe’s memo only makes it more clear that securing a public profession that he wasn’t a target of the investigation was a primary focus for Trump. As he has with the “nothing to see here” report produced by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, Trump likely wanted such a declaration as a way of fighting back against any claims of his own involvement, or even as a means of shutting down any further inquiry.
Mark Sumner
Daily Kos Staff
Thursday May 31, 2018 · 5:52 AM PDT
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/20...ein-to-absolve-him-on-Russia?detail=emaildkre
Funny how, there are so many law enforcement guys-some of whom, are Republicans that Twittler actually appointed-who are lining up to speak against him. Of course, THEY'RE all lying, and HE is the Beacon of Truth...:hahahahah!
When dealing with Donald Trump, everyone seems inspired to take notes. Not only did former FBI Director James Comey feel that Trump’s requests were so over the line that he followed each White House visit or phone call with a cleansing trip to his keyboard, the man who replaced Comey at the helm, former Acting Director Andrew McCabe, also took time to write a memo. And the subject of that memo was Trump’s on-going effort to get someone to clear him from the Russia investigation before it really began.
According to the New York Times, Trump originally instructed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to include a mention of Russia in the excuse Trump told him to create for firing Comey. It’s not clear just what kind of mention that might be, though one person involved in the situation suggested that Trump didn’t really want Rosenstein to say that Comey was being fired because he wouldn’t stop the Russia investigation—the focus of the original Comey firing letter written by Trump and Stephen Miller, which has never been made public. Instead, Trump just wanted Rosenstein to give him a get-out-of-investigation in advance card, by stating in the letter that Trump was not a subject of the Russia investigation.
Rosenstein either didn’t feel this was necessary, or knew it wasn’t true, because he didn’t include that line in his note for Trump. But Trump took care of it himself, inserting a whole paragraph on the topic in the midst of his letter firing Comey.
While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nonetheless concur with the judgement of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau.
Trump’s demands that Comey give him a public exoneration from the Russia investigation were a recurring theme of the meetings that the former FBI director recorded with Trump. But Trump rushed forward on Thursday morning to state that Russia had nothing to do with it …
Even though what the ‘corrupt mainstream media’ said was exactly what Trump himself wrote. And even though Trump’s original dismissal letter made it clear that Comey’s firing was very much about Russia.
As the Wall Street Journal reported, the original letter that Trump and Miller included a direct complaint that Comey would not give Trump the all-clear signal that he wanted.
Paraphrasing the letter, the administration official said Mr. Trump wanted this message sent: “You’ve told me three times I’m not under investigation but you won’t tell the world, and it’s hampering the country.”
The letter has also been described as in the hands of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is using the letter as part of the investigation into Trump’s motives and actions concerning potential charges of obstruction.
But McCabe’s memo only makes it more clear that securing a public profession that he wasn’t a target of the investigation was a primary focus for Trump. As he has with the “nothing to see here” report produced by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, Trump likely wanted such a declaration as a way of fighting back against any claims of his own involvement, or even as a means of shutting down any further inquiry.
