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elleng

(130,974 posts)
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:20 PM Jan 2018

Trump Ordered Mueller Fired, but Backed Off When White House Counsel Threatened to Quit.

Source: NYT

President Trump ordered the firing last June of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation, according to four people told of the matter, but ultimately backed down after the White House counsel threatened to resign rather than carry out the directive.

The West Wing confrontation marks the first time Mr. Trump is known to have tried to fire the special counsel. Mr. Mueller learned about the episode in recent months as his investigators interviewed current and former senior White House officials in his inquiry into whether the president obstructed justice.

Amid the first wave of news media reports that Mr. Mueller was examining a possible obstruction case, the president began to argue that Mr. Mueller had three conflicts of interest that disqualified him from overseeing the investigation, two of the people said.

First, he claimed that a dispute years ago over fees at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., had prompted Mr. Mueller, the F.B.I. director at the time, to resign his membership. The president also said Mr. Mueller could not be impartial because he had most recently worked for the law firm that previously represented the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Finally, the president said, Mr. Mueller had been interviewed to return as the F.B.I. director the day before he was appointed special counsel in May.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/us/politics/trump-mueller-special-counsel-russia.html?

63 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump Ordered Mueller Fired, but Backed Off When White House Counsel Threatened to Quit. (Original Post) elleng Jan 2018 OP
Damn, you beat me to posting the article. ;) Big news! n/t Akoto Jan 2018 #1
I was just about to post this too underpants Jan 2018 #11
I did, then self-deleted. -- special counsel can *only* be removed for cause L. Coyote Jan 2018 #44
WOW. nt pnwmom Jan 2018 #2
Obstruction!!! lapfog_1 Jan 2018 #3
Interviewee just said it. elleng Jan 2018 #5
This will split Republicans grantcart Jan 2018 #4
If only! elleng Jan 2018 #6
I wish... but I suspect your are wrong lapfog_1 Jan 2018 #7
If by "in a place" you mean "FORCED to stick together, come what may." BobTheSubgenius Jan 2018 #17
I Find It Amazing this Story Is Breaking Seven Months After Ccarmona Jan 2018 #8
I want to know what he has done since June and who BigmanPigman Jan 2018 #10
Article said Mueller learned of this firing just recently as part of "interviews" he's been doing. iluvtennis Jan 2018 #23
Trump keeps saying, "I can fire him. I can fire him. Mueller." Someone is applying the brakes? L. Coyote Jan 2018 #46
#Splat reggaehead Jan 2018 #9
Dumb question: MarvinGardens Jan 2018 #12
'After receiving the presidents order to fire Mr. Mueller, the White House counsel, elleng Jan 2018 #15
Thanks! MarvinGardens Jan 2018 #16
Also, MG, ICYMI, McGahn, Priebus and Bannon all have the same law firm, Leghorn21 Jan 2018 #20
At the very least, it means they have no opposing interests More_Cowbell Jan 2018 #25
Flipping implies they've been indicted and decided to cut DeminPennswoods Jan 2018 #54
Trump thought it was an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm rusty quoin Jan 2018 #13
Seriously. His world view is so skewed from what most people consider normal. Dark n Stormy Knight Jan 2018 #61
Most of the right wingers will think the golf fee issue is sufficient grounds to terminate Mueller DonaldsRump Jan 2018 #14
+1, 50% of republicans thought Pizza Gate was real ... they're that stupid uponit7771 Jan 2018 #39
The orange monkey thinks everyone else would be just like him. sdfernando Jan 2018 #58
K&R nt ProudProgressiveNow Jan 2018 #18
Wow orangecrush Jan 2018 #19
Same type of "conflict shit" he tried to claim with Judge Gonzalo Curiel in 2016. GAH iluvtennis Jan 2018 #21
There's tape SayItLoud Jan 2018 #22
Kyle Griffin Retweeted this from August 2017 about Trump saying "it never crossed my mind" iluvtennis Jan 2018 #27
Scaramucci: The NYT report is "totally irrelevant because he actually didn't fire Mueller" L. Coyote Jan 2018 #45
Scaramucci is a dumbass. DT gave the order to fire Mueller. LiberalFighter Jan 2018 #47
Hiring a hitman is a crime whether or not Neema Jan 2018 #52
I gotta agree with the Mooch. Sounds like Trump talked some shit, and then backed off. Midnight Writer Jan 2018 #53
Trump ordered him to fire Mueller Juliusseizure Jan 2018 #62
This message was self-deleted by its author Midnight Writer Jan 2018 #63
good catch............another lie Angry Dragon Jan 2018 #51
Channeling his inner Nixon Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jan 2018 #24
An attempt to obstruct justice is a Federal crime. Squaredeal Jan 2018 #26
Do we know why we're just now hearing about this? n/t Upthevibe Jan 2018 #29
Special Counsel have been interviewing past and current people in the WH LiberalFighter Jan 2018 #48
I think the key to resolving this crisis is in the US Senate. kentuck Jan 2018 #28
Big news. L. Coyote Jan 2018 #30
Where is that? kentuck Jan 2018 #31
Climbers with Swiss progressive organization hang giant banner .... L. Coyote Jan 2018 #33
Some negotiator Retrograde Jan 2018 #32
Incompetence. He has to be told what he can and can't do. He's the Ultimate Apprentice! L. Coyote Jan 2018 #35
Unfortunately unless we get back the House, nothing Mueller says or even proves ... mr_lebowski Jan 2018 #34
Before the crime would go to court, I do think the GOP would get him to resign. Honeycombe8 Jan 2018 #37
Theft of a Presidential election not a crime? Abouttime Jan 2018 #60
OMG! He was really going to do it! OMG. He's a dictator in the making. nt Honeycombe8 Jan 2018 #36
He did this because..... blue-wave Jan 2018 #38
Who was the WH counsel at that time? I'll have to look that up. nt Honeycombe8 Jan 2018 #40
Don McGahn. Rachel Maddow just presented her whole hour to this news. FailureToCommunicate Jan 2018 #41
Thx. I'm watching Maddow now. nt Honeycombe8 Jan 2018 #43
White House Counsel was Don McGahn. This was one month after firing Comey. nt Honeycombe8 Jan 2018 #42
This is a whopper here too. LiberalFighter Jan 2018 #49
VIDEO: NYT: Trump called for Mueller's firing in June 2017 L. Coyote Jan 2018 #50
Bill Kristol's take DeminPennswoods Jan 2018 #55
Yes, that is decisive leadership bucolic_frolic Jan 2018 #56
Thank You for posting this...a late k and r. nt Stuart G Jan 2018 #57
Trump tried to obstruct the investigation and failed Gothmog Jan 2018 #59

BobTheSubgenius

(11,564 posts)
17. If by "in a place" you mean "FORCED to stick together, come what may."
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:52 PM
Jan 2018

They are all in with this awful narrative they've spun, and are completely unable to let go of it without tacitly declaring that they are ready for their jumpsuit fitting.

 

Ccarmona

(1,180 posts)
8. I Find It Amazing this Story Is Breaking Seven Months After
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:29 PM
Jan 2018

He reportedly ordered the firing last June.
I’m sure the thought of firing MUeller travels between his ears on a Daily basis.
Trump knows Mueller is getting to the truth.

iluvtennis

(19,863 posts)
23. Article said Mueller learned of this firing just recently as part of "interviews" he's been doing.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:17 PM
Jan 2018

elleng

(130,974 posts)
15. 'After receiving the presidents order to fire Mr. Mueller, the White House counsel,
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:43 PM
Jan 2018

Donald F. McGahn II, refused to ask the Justice Department to dismiss the special counsel, saying he would quit instead, the people said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified discussing a continuing investigation.'

Leghorn21

(13,524 posts)
20. Also, MG, ICYMI, McGahn, Priebus and Bannon all have the same law firm,
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:05 PM
Jan 2018

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in Washington.

I heard they’ve badass, but can prove nothing, of course! And does it mean all three have flipped? Well, there is much speculation about this, and I, of course, haven’t a clue!

Oy!!

More_Cowbell

(2,191 posts)
25. At the very least, it means they have no opposing interests
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:22 PM
Jan 2018

Practically speaking, it means that all them have flipped, or none has. I think they've all flipped.

DeminPennswoods

(15,286 posts)
54. Flipping implies they've been indicted and decided to cut
Fri Jan 26, 2018, 05:26 AM
Jan 2018

a deal to avoid jail time. IMHO, it's more accurate to say all three have/are cooperating meaning they are answering questions posed to them truthfully, fully and accurately.

 

rusty quoin

(6,133 posts)
13. Trump thought it was an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:42 PM
Jan 2018

Go after the club owner with the full power of the government for high golf fees.

Dark n Stormy Knight

(9,760 posts)
61. Seriously. His world view is so skewed from what most people consider normal.
Fri Jan 26, 2018, 04:09 PM
Jan 2018

Because he's such a giant, ignorant asshole who approached everything like a contest or a vendetta, he thinks others do as well. Same reason I suspect Rs are always thinking Ds are doing some crazy, sleazy shit, because that's how the Rs live their lives.

DonaldsRump

(7,715 posts)
14. Most of the right wingers will think the golf fee issue is sufficient grounds to terminate Mueller
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 09:42 PM
Jan 2018

"First, he claimed that a dispute years ago over fees at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., had prompted Mr. Mueller, the F.B.I. director at the time, to resign his membership. "

Are you kidding me??? This is what the Presidency has sunk to? Actually, it didn't need to sink to these levels as it was never above this type of lunacy. However, I have no doubt that many in Trump's camp will find this and the other fallacious reasons mentioned in the article as sufficient to terminate the Special Counsel.

At least Nixon was smart enough to come up with an excuse that executive privilege allowed him the legal right to refuse to hand over his tapes. It was clearly a desperate attempt not to turn over the tapes, but, at the very least, there was at least some constitutional underpinnings in his argument.

While people say that this is like Watergate, it is NOTHING like Watergate. There, the actors were MUCH smarter, and the crimes, while awful, pale in comparison to what has and is going on with the gang that couldn't shoot or talk straight.

sdfernando

(4,935 posts)
58. The orange monkey thinks everyone else would be just like him.
Fri Jan 26, 2018, 01:41 PM
Jan 2018

This give you a window into his thought process (if he even has one)...If the situation were reverse, he personally would hold this grudge, years and years and years, and it would colour his view because, you know, he has to hit back. So this is how cheetolini thinks....and he ascribes this pattern to everyone else.

SayItLoud

(1,702 posts)
22. There's tape
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:15 PM
Jan 2018

Of the F'n MORON claiming just after this order to fire Mueller where he says *it never crossed my mind, you people are all writing about it and talking about it but i haven't even thought about it*.

Midnight Writer

(21,768 posts)
53. I gotta agree with the Mooch. Sounds like Trump talked some shit, and then backed off.
Fri Jan 26, 2018, 03:46 AM
Jan 2018

It's like you are gonna hit the guy, and you get all puffed up, and you're talking smack, and then your buddies step in front of you and calm you down. You don't go to jail for that.

Response to Juliusseizure (Reply #62)

Squaredeal

(398 posts)
26. An attempt to obstruct justice is a Federal crime.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:23 PM
Jan 2018

Even if the attempt is unsuccessful, such as asking someone to act on your behalf and he or she refuses. It doesn't matter.

LiberalFighter

(50,950 posts)
48. Special Counsel have been interviewing past and current people in the WH
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:54 PM
Jan 2018

Just found out last month due to those interviews.

kentuck

(111,103 posts)
28. I think the key to resolving this crisis is in the US Senate.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 10:51 PM
Jan 2018

Those twelve Republicans and 48 Democrats have the potential to wield the power in the Senate. At the very least, they can stop any legislation that is not in the best interests of our nation. They must continue to build their coalition.

L. Coyote

(51,129 posts)
33. Climbers with Swiss progressive organization hang giant banner ....
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:03 PM
Jan 2018

on side of a mountain near Davos, where Pres. Trump is attending the World Economic Forum. http://abcn.ws/2BtMTxL

L. Coyote

(51,129 posts)
35. Incompetence. He has to be told what he can and can't do. He's the Ultimate Apprentice!
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:05 PM
Jan 2018
And he's about to be told, "You're FIRED."
 

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)
34. Unfortunately unless we get back the House, nothing Mueller says or even proves ...
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:03 PM
Jan 2018

Can compel Congress to act to impeach.

And the question of whether a sitting POTUS can be charged with a crime ... any crime ... is still an open one, likely to be decided by a 5-4 SCOTUS decision against us.

'Obstruction', without SOLID PROOF of a underlying crime ... is for sure going to lead to nothing unless we get BOTH Houses back. Without that, even WITH solid evidence of an underlying crime AND proof of conscious INTENT ... might not even be enough to compel the criminally complicit GOPpers ... to act.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
37. Before the crime would go to court, I do think the GOP would get him to resign.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:07 PM
Jan 2018

They back him fully now, but in the face of such long, drawn-out proceedings, and a criminal one at that, I think they'll back off. Now that they've gotten their tax cut.

 

Abouttime

(675 posts)
60. Theft of a Presidential election not a crime?
Fri Jan 26, 2018, 02:13 PM
Jan 2018

This is obstruction in its purist sense, everyone on our side should be screaming from the rooftops and marching in the streets to demand trump resign.
Every day trump remains in office he does great damage to our country, we must retake our country and punish trump, his family and every one of his supporters.

LiberalFighter

(50,950 posts)
49. This is a whopper here too.
Thu Jan 25, 2018, 11:56 PM
Jan 2018
Mr. McGahn disagreed with the president’s case and told senior White House officials that firing Mr. Mueller would have a catastrophic effect on Mr. Trump’s presidency. Mr. McGahn also told White House officials that Mr. Trump would not follow through on the dismissal on his own. The president then backed off.


McGahn essentially stated that DT is chicken. LMAO
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