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President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

washingtonpost.com

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Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#291

Post by MaysonL »

John23832 wrote: post #121
liquidise wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

The structure of the FBI is created by the Director. To remove the Director of the FBI, is to essentially force a restructure of all the top agents and top management of the FBI. Those top agents run investigations. If that's not an efficient way to stall an investigation, I don't know what is.

The Director has to run the confirmation gauntlet of the Senate. A Trumpian yes-man will not survive that ordeal.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#292

Post by davesque »

mtgx wrote: post #9

Hopefully there's a silver lining and that this means the encryption backdoor push (led by Comey) will slow to a crawl or be forgotten. He was already preparing a push for FISA Amendments renewal together with Dianne Feinstein (who is apparently having a change of heart about her own retirement).

You expect that from an administration with autocratic tendencies?

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#293

Post by agumonkey »

Filligree wrote: post #110
agumonkey wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Only surrealists ones

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#294

Post by dingleArm »

auntienomen wrote: post #256
rwnspace wrote: post #187

381 points, 171 comments, 1 hour ago; as of writing. Why is this on the second page of HN, and not pole position? I assume/hope that there is some mechanism that stops new content from dominating other content too rapidly.

Yeah, what the heck? This one needs to be discussed, and it's directly relevant to Hacker News. The rule of law is critical for anyone interested in new business formation.

I've been looking at this comment for the past 5 minutes, and I really can't tell if you're joking or not.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#295

Post by alpha_squared »

enknamel wrote: post #268
rwnspace wrote: post #187

381 points, 171 comments, 1 hour ago; as of writing. Why is this on the second page of HN, and not pole position? I assume/hope that there is some mechanism that stops new content from dominating other content too rapidly.

Because this does not need to be posted on HN or even should be. However you stand on this issue doesn't matter. HN is not a site for political discussions. Go to Reddit if you want that.

What is HN for? I thought it was intellectual discourse and news with potential ramifications that affect the population at large.

I hope you don't answer with "tech" because there are certainly non-technical stories here. And I also hope you don't answer with "science" because there are non-scientific stories as well.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#296

Post by drjesusphd »

mikeash wrote: post #43
kem wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, that was one of my first thoughts about this. I have no love lost for Comey but there's a huge conflict of interest here with Trump and I think the reasons for Trump firing Comey are not the reasons I would want him fired. Comey was doing a balancing act, playing one constituency against another. It seems like Trump is purging everyone who might provide any level of oversight whatsoever.

"Conflict of interest" is practically the man's middle name. Not only does he not avoid them, he seems to actively seek them out.

I'm pretty sure there's no conflict of interest. He has only one.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#297

Post by memmcgee »

Animats wrote: post #285
fooey wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The looming senate fight to confirm a replacement is going to be absolutely massive.

Historically, FBI heads have had near-unanimous approval. Comey was confirmed on a 93-1 vote. His predecessor, Muller, was originally appointed by Bush and confirmed by a 100-0 vote. 10 years later, he got another term under Obama and was confirmed by a 98-0 vote. All their predecessors were confirmed unanimously. It's not supposed to be a political job. [1] http://www.businessinsider.com/why-can-president-trump-can-…

Well Trump just made it one.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#298

Post by memmcgee »

yeukhon wrote: post #275
Animats wrote: 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…

Oh trust me, given the current track of records, the Administration can grt confirmation easily. Hearing is just for show for the Adminstration.

I wouldn't be too sure. Pence had to break the tie for DeVos and I don't even think they can count on him for the vote considering he's only a seat away from the Presidency.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#299

Post by memmcgee »

pm90 wrote: post #174
jayess wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So Comey was personally conducting the investigation solely on his own?

No, he was leading the agency that was conducting the investigation. And a pliant leader, appointed by Trump, may not continue to do so.

Or he may simply actively sabotage an investigation so it ends up saying that nothing is awry.

Re: President Trump Dismisses FBI Director Comey

#300

Post by memmcgee »

MaysonL wrote: post #291
John23832 wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The structure of the FBI is created by the Director. To remove the Director of the FBI, is to essentially force a restructure of all the top agents and top management of the FBI. Those top agents run investigations. If that's not an efficient way to stall an investigation, I don't know what is.

The Director has to run the confirmation gauntlet of the Senate. A Trumpian yes-man will not survive that ordeal.

The Senate confirmed DeVos, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that the GOP will bend for Trump.
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