Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Resigns!

[Hayabusa Rider]

I expect nothing but more cockblocking from him.

You may be right. In the meantime, I'll wait until he resigns. If I were he and of good intent I'd privately ask the lead Dem to be subpoenaed rather than asked to volunteer. When (not if) Trump tries to personally sue Rosenstein then he has an automatic defense with compliance to a lawful act of Congress. Trump will attempt to destroy anyone who he imagines isn't giving him their support.

 

[Perknose]

I don't know, none of us really do from the outside, but my deep impression of Rosenstein is that his moral compass is weak and that he was primarily concerned with the preservation of his career, until that became untenable.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I don't know, none of us really do from the outside, but my deep impression of Rosenstein is that his moral compass is weak and that he was primarily concerned with the preservation of his career, until that became untenable.

I agree, but for the sake of discussion let me presume a hypothetical. If things are as you say (and I tend to mostly agree) he still finds himself at the end of a significant part with the DOJ. If this were correct and you were in his shoes, all things considered, would you put yourself and those you care for in ignoring what is tantamount to "an offer you can't refuse", that is financial ruin and all that you have done for many years where you are in part compensated for retirement have that taken at the last minute? When I check my moral compass my obligation is twofold, to protect those I love and to reveal the truth for the benefit of the public that I was bound to serve.

Speaking as my self being him at this moment in time I believe I would not see this as an either/or but do both. I'd wait until I was out, asked to be subpoenaed for both a public and closed-door meeting in the House.

Of course, I am not him nor you but that is how I would handle this situation if I found myself in it.

 

[Perknose]

I agree, but for the sake of discussion let me presume a hypothetical. If things are as you say (and I tend to mostly agree) he still finds himself at the end of a significant part with the DOJ. If this were correct and you were in his shoes, all things considered, would you put yourself and those you care for in ignoring what is tantamount to "an offer you can't refuse", that is financial ruin and all that you have done for many years where you are in part compensated for retirement have that taken at the last minute? When I check my moral compass my obligation is twofold, to protect those I love and to reveal the truth for the benefit of the public that I was bound to serve.

Speaking as my self being him at this moment in time I believe I would not see this as an either/or but do both. I'd wait until I was out, asked to be subpoenaed for both a public and closed-door meeting in the House.

Of course, I am not him nor you but that is how I would handle this situation if I found myself in it.

He wrote the letter that stabbed Comey in the back. All things considered, would you have done that?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

No and that is a reason i agreed with your assessment of his moral compass. I would have listened and quietly resigned that day. For context, I'm looking at possible options for redemption not saying he's my guy.

 

[Jhhnn]

Rosenstein has always been a Trump cuck, sucking up to him even while Trump was belittling him to the public. He helped Barr and Trump get their pre-preemptive spin ready for the release of the Mueller report and backed them up publicly after its release. If there was any way for Rosenstein to stop the investigation from happening he would have.

That's ridiculous. Rosenstein appointed Mueller when he was not legally compelled to do so.

 

[Jhhnn]

He wrote the letter that stabbed Comey in the back. All things considered, would you have done that?

Read the memo-

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3711188-Rosenstein-letter-on-Comey-firing.html

Comey did usurp the authority of the DoJ. I figure it was a good thing at the time but it wasn't within the usual bounds of a FBI director. Neither was the situation, however.

 

[hal2kilo]

Yeah I recall this being announced to occur shortly after the next AG would be confirmed. ....I honestly thought Rosenstein had been out for at least a month or so now, lol.

Well now seeing that he was a Trump player, he hung around long enough to help Barr with the spin that there was nothing to see. Apparently, his Republican roots seriously has clouded his objectivity and now reputation. I hope he wears it well.

 

[Perknose]

Read the memo-

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3711188-Rosenstein-letter-on-Comey-firing.html

Comey did usurp the authority of the DoJ. I figure it was a good thing at the time but it wasn't within the usual bounds of a FBI director. Neither was the situation, however.

Forrest for the trees. The tree is "hurf burf, Comey usurped DoJ authority." The forest is Trump.

At the very least, Rosentstein allowed himself to serve Trump's interest in getting Comey fired, and it damn well wasn't for the reason stated in his memo . . . and Rosenstein, who had considered taping the Big Orange Mistake, should have damn well known "authoring" that memo was not the right overall move in any true pursuit of justice.

Well now seeing that he was a Trump player, he hung around long enough to help Barr with the spin that there was nothing to see. Apparently, his Republican roots seriously has clouded his objectivity and now reputation. I hope he wears it well.

And THIS is strike two with Rosenstein for me. Standing there flanking Barr as Barr did his unmistakably dirty work, lending the legitimacy of his office to this craven gambit, was a craven move of moral and ethical abnegation.

All to what end? To save his pension? When he's still in position to make bank in private practice? Weak and craven. I have no love for Rod Rosenstein.

So, sure, now, having secured his 30 pieces of silver, he may well spill some measure of secrets in Congressional testimony.

Do I think this may in large part be done to burnish his personal rep ex post facto? Why, yes, yes I do.

 

[Jhhnn]

Well now seeing that he was a Trump player, he hung around long enough to help Barr with the spin that there was nothing to see. Apparently, his Republican roots seriously has clouded his objectivity and now reputation. I hope he wears it well.

If he was a Trump player he never would have appointed a Special Counsel. I haven't really figured out Rosenstein but that characterization doesn't seem accurate.

 

[dank69]

That's ridiculous. Rosenstein appointed Mueller when he was not legally compelled to do so.

At the time he thought he had no choice. After two years of watching conservatives literally deny reality thousands of times with no repercussions I bet he would do things differently given the choice.

 

[Jhhnn]

At the time he thought he had no choice. After two years of watching conservatives literally deny reality thousands of times with no repercussions I bet he would do things differently given the choice.

Speculation is not a legitimate basis for attack. I'm sure Rosenstein believed it would be right to fire Comey for what actually was a form of insubordination. Never mind that the AG at the time probably breathed a sigh of relief anyway. When Trump said on national TV that Comey was fired because of the Russia thing it changed everything. Trump basically said he fired Comey to obstruct a legit FBI investigation. Of course Rosenstein felt he was forced to act whether he wanted to or not. Otherwise nobody in the Dept would ever trust him again.

 

[Moonbeam]

Don't make a wave. A wave could lead to disaster with your name on it. Moral cowardliness is just common sense.

As long as we raise our children to feel shame we will wind up with most people avoiding any form of self reflection which, in turn, will lead to a lack of moral development, in my opinion. Most of us grow up morally unchallenged and may crumble when tested.

 

[Starbuck1975]

The animosity and ire towards Rosenstein is misguided. As much as people complain about government bureaucracy, there are reasons why rules and procedures exist, even in the face of a President actively undermining all of them.

Without Rosenstein, there is no Mueller investigation.

Barr and Sessions and I dare say even Lynch deserve the criticism.

 

[Perknose]

The animosity and ire towards Rosenstein is misguided. As much as people complain about government bureaucracy, there are reasons why rules and procedures exist . . .

Trump basically said he fired Comey to obstruct a legit FBI investigation. Of course Rosenstein felt he was forced to act whether he wanted to or not.

Got it. He was just following orders!

 

[Starbuck1975]

Got it. He was just following orders!

As it related to the Mueller investigation, I would counter that he did his job.

 

[Perknose]

As it related to the Mueller investigation, I would counter that he did his job.

For me, with him, there is the stench of undue accommodation to Trump in the air.

As regards his firing of Comey, was outright firing or a severe formal reprimand more in order in the wake of his . . . misstep. I believe (but of course don't know) that he gave in to Trump's wishes that Comey be fired, damn well knowing WHY Trump wanted him fired, and that he did so to save his job. What price honor, eh? The bitter icing on that cake was the "toadying up to Trump" letter that he wrote. That whole sequence of events disgusted me.

He did appoint Mueller.

Good for him!

But then he timed his resignation to occur after he lent his legitimizing presence to flanking Barr as Barr read out his complete and utter sell out to Trump "summation" of the Mueller report.

NOT good for him.

 

[Starbuck1975]

For me, with him, there is the stench of undue accommodation to Trump in the air.

As regards his firing of Comey, was outright firing or a severe formal reprimand more in order in the wake of his . . . misstep. I believe (but of course don't know) that he gave in to Trump's wishes that Comey be fired, damn well knowing WHY Trump wanted him fired, and that he did so to save his job. What price honor, eh? The bitter icing on that cake was the "toadying up to Trump" letter that he wrote. That whole sequence of events disgusted me.

He did appoint Mueller.

Good for him!

But then he timed his resignation to occur after he lent his legitimizing presence to flanking Barr as Barr read out his complete and utter sell out to Trump "summation" of the Mueller report.

NOT good for him.

Rosenstein owes nothing to the GOP, as they’ve resented and undermined him for appointing Mueller.

It seems to me that the tone against Rosenstein took another shift when he had the audacity to lay some of the blame on the media and Obama Administration.

 

[Jhhnn]

Got it. He was just following orders!

What a load of bullshit. Rosenstein wasn't following anybody's orders when he appointed Mueller as Special Counsel. WTF do you think- that Trump ordered him to do it?