Jeff Sessions Fired

Trump said he'd do it, now he's fired Sessions the day after the mid-terms.

His replacement is the Chief of Staff for Sessions, Matthew Whitaker, who is on-record as stating Mueller's probe should be limited to the Russia probe only and should not be allowed to dig into the president's shady business practices and tax evasion.

People are speculating, will Whitaker recuse himself? Since he's hardly a neutral party?

Will Mueller view this as a clear case of obstruction of justice?

Will the new Kavanaugh Kourt, who was seated on the basis of presidential invincibility, side with Mueller or Trump?

Interesting times....

Has anyone mentioned to the Ochre Joker that the House can investigate whatever they want to and he can't stop them? Unlike Sessions, they don't work for him or take orders from him (except for the House Republicunts, of course).

Let the subpoenas fly!

Of course, all the assholes from the Executive branch will invalidly cry "executive privilege" and it will wind up in court. Then we will see exactly why Kavanaughty is there.

_Howard wrote:

the House can investigate whatever they want to and he can't stop them?

But their investigations are entirely toothless, aren’t they?  Without a willing Senate to press charges, a House finding is just advisory. I think.

But their investigations will publicize the truth. For some people that is worthwhile.

I guess I’d prefer the new House not waste a bunch of time & energy & public money going over the same ground as the Mueller investigation, for no gain.

"The people" already know about Trump's business practices. Enough of them don't care.

It's obvious that Trump's people have been working on ways to stifle the Mueller probe ever since the very beginning.  They're been putting all the pieces in place to make their best case for making it go away.  They got a Supreme Court justice who believes presidential power is absolute.  They've now got an Attorney General who believes the probe should be starved out of existence.  All along, Trump has been preparing the people with his narrative that the whole thing is a politically-motivated witch hunt.

Here's the thing though: after January 20 there's no way the new House is going to play along.

Therefore ∴ (remember that symbol from math class?)...

He's going to have to move immediately to shut the investigation down.  He only has a short 10-week window.  If the lame duck Republicans continue their dereliction of duty he might even get away with it.  That's not the end of his problems of course.

Here's what I see happening:

1. I believe Mueller already has a slew of indictments -- sealed -- ready to go.  He will go ahead and indict Don Jr., Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, Don McGahn, Rudy Giuliani, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos, Roger Stone and John Dowd.  That'll give him a line in the sand, one that'll have to be resolved in the courts, whether or not his own panel is dismissed.
   
   
2. Mueller will also probably refer the tax evasion, money laundering and illegal business practices violations to the New York State attorney general.  This puts them out of Mueller's hands, and coincidentally makes them immune from Trump's federal pardon power.
   
   
3. Trump's violations of the emoluments clause are already moving through the courts, and will continue to dog him no matter what he does with Mueller.
   
   
4. If Mueller is dismissed by Jan 20, the Democrats will empanel a new prosecutor -- maybe not Mueller -- but somebody who can access Mueller's work and pick up right where he left off.
   

I wonder how SCOTUS will rule, though?  You have Alito, Thomas and Kavanaugh firmly in Trump's corner, and Ginsburg, Sotomayer & Kagen reliably against him.  

John Roberts is a cipher.  He's been conservative in most financial rulings, but his rulings on social legislation have been considerably more fluid.  He's kind of a strait-laced guy.  I suspect he doesn't think much of Trump. He sides with power over principle. It Trump appears damaged or weakened, he could turn on him.

Stephen Breyer has always been sensitive to public opinion.  If the Mueller indictments are serious enough he might just side with public opinion.

And Neil Gorsuch is still new enough that he hasn't fully realized the power that a lifetime appointment affords him.  He could surprise.

NoCoPilot wrote:

Here's what I see happening:

1. I believe Mueller already has a slew of indictments -- sealed -- ready to go.  He will go ahead and indict Don Jr., Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, Don McGahn, Rudy Giuliani, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos, Roger Stone and John Dowd.  That'll give him a line in the sand, one that'll have to be resolved in the courts, whether or not his own panel is dismissed.
   

Widespread speculation that Mueller will hand down the first of the indictments today.  Apparently Thanksgiving week would be too disruptive? Roger Stone and Don Jr are expected to be the first two.

Anyway, keep your ears on.

If Trump's family is impacted expect fireworks on a grand scale.

Sessions' replacement, Bill Barr, is saying whatever he thinks will get him confirmed. Even as he lied through his teeth.  If he *is* confirmed, expect Mueller's final report to be withheld from the public.  

The House however has the power to compel its release.