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President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

washingtonpost.com

101–110 of 329 posts

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#101
post #4

"Trump just fired the man leading a counterintelligence investigation into his campaign, on the same day that the Senate Intelligence commitee requested financial documents relating to Trump's business dealings from the treasury department that handles money laundering." -Comment from reddit that sums up how strange this is.

The implication of this comment only holds if the replacement FBI Director drops the investigation. The FBI Director themselves are not conducting the investigation, but have instructed the investigation to be conducted. It stands that we should expect the investigation to continue in Comey's absence. Should it cease, this comment would gain merit. The reasons cited for the dismissal appear valid on their face: the h…

So you're saying you find it plausible that Trump fired Comey an excess of administrative zeal on Comey's part might have led to Clinton's loss of the election.

I might find your position more persuasive if Trump didn't display an almost-daily disregard for administrative norms and procedures. I highly doubt that his new nominee will be told to not obstruct any ongoing investigations.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#102
post #61

The FBI director is supposed to have a 10 year term. That went in after J. Edgar Hoover died. Nobody wanted another J. Edgar Hoover FBI Director for Life situation, but having the FBI director be a "pleasure of the President" appointment made it too political. This makes Andrew G. McCabe acting FBI director. He's in the civil service, not a Presidential appointment. He was an FBI agent and worked his way up. From wha…

Like the Republicans in the Senate give half a shit about looking partisan. I wouldn't put it past them to appoint Scott Baio if Trump requested it.

McCain would vote to confirm, but he'd feel super bad about it.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#103

Flashbacks to Nixon's downfall.

None of the safety guards that caused Nixon to get knocked down after the Saturday Night Massacre are functioning right now. The AG is a loyalist, the House and Senate are in his pocket (and appear to be intentionally sandbagging their own investigations).

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#104
post #4

"Trump just fired the man leading a counterintelligence investigation into his campaign, on the same day that the Senate Intelligence commitee requested financial documents relating to Trump's business dealings from the treasury department that handles money laundering." -Comment from reddit that sums up how strange this is.

The implication of this comment only holds if the replacement FBI Director drops the investigation. The FBI Director themselves are not conducting the investigation, but have instructed the investigation to be conducted. It stands that we should expect the investigation to continue in Comey's absence. Should it cease, this comment would gain merit. The reasons cited for the dismissal appear valid on their face: the h…

Trump praised Comey at the time for how he handled the Clinton email cluster.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#105
post #4

"Trump just fired the man leading a counterintelligence investigation into his campaign, on the same day that the Senate Intelligence commitee requested financial documents relating to Trump's business dealings from the treasury department that handles money laundering." -Comment from reddit that sums up how strange this is.

The implication of this comment only holds if the replacement FBI Director drops the investigation. The FBI Director themselves are not conducting the investigation, but have instructed the investigation to be conducted. It stands that we should expect the investigation to continue in Comey's absence. Should it cease, this comment would gain merit. The reasons cited for the dismissal appear valid on their face: the h…

This is the difference between soft and hard power. With hard power the investigation stops, with soft power it's deprived of resources and faces higher hurdles.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#106
post #4

"Trump just fired the man leading a counterintelligence investigation into his campaign, on the same day that the Senate Intelligence commitee requested financial documents relating to Trump's business dealings from the treasury department that handles money laundering." -Comment from reddit that sums up how strange this is.

James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Monday that he still has not seen any evidence of any kind of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian foreign nationals.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-N.C., asked if Clapper's prior statement was correct, when he said on NBC that there was "no evidence' of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. When asked if that is still accurate, Clapper said Monday, "it is."

On NBC weeks earlier, Clapper said, "We did not include any evidence in our report, and I say, 'our,' that's NSA, FBI and CIA, with my office, the Director of National Intelligence, that had anything, that had any reflection of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians. There was no evidence of that included in our report."

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/james-clapper-still-no-evi...

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is quite surreal: http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/09/politics/senate-russia-investi... Would there be any collaboration between the FBI and Senate Intelligence committee?

Maybe Trump is a genius painter in the closet. A dyslexic Dali channeling is talent through tweets and EOs.

As a painter myself this gave me a hearty giggle.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#109
post #86
post #61

The FBI director is supposed to have a 10 year term. That went in after J. Edgar Hoover died. Nobody wanted another J. Edgar Hoover FBI Director for Life situation, but having the FBI director be a "pleasure of the President" appointment made it too political. This makes Andrew G. McCabe acting FBI director. He's in the civil service, not a Presidential appointment. He was an FBI agent and worked his way up. From wha…

>As civil service, he can only be fired for cause. I'm not clear on what "for cause" means for an acting director of the FBI. Wasn't the justification for firing Comey that he mishandled the Clinton email investigation? It looks blown out of proportion to me, but that might count as cause.

The political heads can be fired by the president at-will.

I believe the parent is incorrect in that if he becomes the head, he can be fired for-cause. I also believe this is only if it he is appointed head, not if he is just acting-head.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is quite surreal: http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/09/politics/senate-russia-investi... Would there be any collaboration between the FBI and Senate Intelligence committee?

Maybe Trump is a genius painter in the closet. A dyslexic Dali channeling is talent through tweets and EOs.

Painters, in my opinion, should not be heads of state. Once was quite enough.
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