Here we go. Jeff Sessions resigns as AG

[Strychnine]

it's not obstructing justice when no justice is being done

this is the longest, and least fruitful 'investigation' in world history

There have been a lot of President Trump's associates pleading guilty for nothing then.

 

[DanSavage]

I'm just going to leave this right here as it seems appropriate for the topic and might help explain the legal rational used to appoint Whitaker.

Note the third bullet point below.

Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998

The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 is a United States law that establishes the procedure for a filling a vacancy in an appointed officer of an executive agency during the time before a permanent replacement is appointed.

The law designates three classes of people who may serve as acting officials:

• By default, "the first assistant to the office" becomes the acting officer.
• The President may direct a person currently serving in a different Senate-confirmed position to serve as acting officer.
• The President can select a senior "officer or employee" of the same executive agency, if that employee served in that agency for at least 90 days during the year preceding the vacancy, and is paid at a rate equivalent to at least a GS-15 on the federal pay scale.

 

[Fawlty]

this is the longest, and least fruitful 'investigation' in world history

It's not even the longest and least fruitful in very recent American history.

 

[zebby23]

It's not even the longest and least fruitful in very recent American history.

Benghazi was longer and had absolutely no indictments. Hillary actually had the balls to come before Congress also.

 

[Fawlty]

Benghazi was longer and had absolutely no indictments. Hillary actually had the balls to come before Congress also.

We don't have to go back far to get to Whitewater, too.

 

[HunterSdVa29]

It's not even the longest and least fruitful in very recent American history.

it's absolutely the least fruitful, bar none

 

[Execute]

It's not even the longest and least fruitful in very recent American history.

I'm assuming he's trolling or just regurgitating right wing talking points.

 

[zebby23]

it's absolutely the least fruitful, bar none

How many indictments for Benghazi?

How many for Trump campaign investigation?

 

[FIMN]

it's absolutely the least fruitful, bar none

...what?

How are you measuring that?

 

[Cake4Breakfast]

Trump pulling this desperation bullshit, instead of appointing a legitimate senate confirmed replacement, is just further evidence that he is trying to hide something. Where is the outrage from GOP senators? They are just a bunch of cowards and whores, with Lindsay Graham being the biggest punk bitch of them all.

 

[Cake4Breakfast]

it's not obstructing justice when no justice is being done

this is the longest, and least fruitful 'investigation' in world history

 

[bobgeese]

Benghazi was longer and had absolutely no indictments. Hillary actually had the balls to come before Congress also.

That was probably the tail end of Hillary’s prime.

She did exceptionally well in that hearing.

 

[WhiteMousse]

took him long enough

Whoa... who's the bitch in the av? ?

 

[MikeMcMann]

it's absolutely the least fruitful, bar none

I would call that a bonanza of fruit. Or a swamp drained of a lot of crooks.



The full list of known indictments and plea deals in Mueller’s probe

1) George Papadopoulos, former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, was arrested in July 2017 and pleaded guilty last October to making false statements to the FBI. He got a 14-day sentence.

2) Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chair, was indicted on a total of 25 different counts by Mueller’s team, related mainly to his past work for Ukrainian politicians and his finances. He had two trials scheduled, and the first ended in a conviction on eight counts of financial crimes. To avert the second trial, Manafort struck a plea deal with Mueller in September 2018.

3) Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aide and Manafort’s longtime junior business partner, was indicted on similar charges to Manafort. But in February he agreed to a plea deal with Mueller’s team, pleading guilty to just one false statements charge and one conspiracy charge.

4) Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, pleaded guilty last December to making false statements to the FBI.

5-20) 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies were indicted on conspiracy charges, with some also being accused of identity theft. The charges related to a Russian propaganda effort designed to interfere with the 2016 campaign. The companies involved are the Internet Research Agency, often described as a “Russian troll farm,” and two other companies that helped finance it. The Russian nationals indicted include 12 of the agency’s employees and its alleged financier, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

21) Richard Pinedo: This California man pleaded guilty to an identity theft charge in connection with the Russian indictments, and has agreed to cooperate with Mueller. He was sentenced to 6 months in prison and 6 months of home detention in October.

22) Alex van der Zwaan: This London lawyer pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about his contacts with Rick Gates and another unnamed person based in Ukraine. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and has completed his sentence.

23) Konstantin Kilimnik: This longtime business associate of Manafort and Gates, who’s currently based in Russia, was charged alongside Manafort with attempting to obstruct justice by tampering with witnesses in Manafort’s pending case this year.

24-35) 12 Russian GRU officers: These officers of Russia’s military intelligence service were charged with crimes related to the hacking and leaking of leading Democrats’ emails in 2016.

Finally, there are two other people Mueller initially investigated, but then handed over to others in the Justice Department to handle. Both eventually agreed to plea deals.

Michael Cohen: Trump’s former lawyer pleaded guilty to 8 counts — tax and bank charges, related to his finances and taxi business, and campaign finance violations, related to hush money payments to women who alleged affairs with Donald Trump.

Sam Patten: This Republican operative and lobbyist pleaded guilty to not registering as a foreign agent with his work for Ukrainian political bigwigs, and agreed to cooperate with the government.

cite

 

[Sycho Sid]

Does this mean he will go back to making cookies in a tree?

 

[DanSavage]

I would call that a bonanza of fruit. Or a swamp drained of a lot of crooks.

The full list of known indictments and plea deals in Mueller’s probe

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how any of these convictions are related to Trump or Trump's Presidential campaign.

 

[BKMMAFAN]

I'm just going to leave this right here as it seems appropriate for the topic and might help explain the legal rational used to appoint Whitaker.

Note the third bullet point below.

Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998

Article II, Section 2, Clause 2

"He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments."

The office of Attorney General is considered a 'Principal Officer" position since this office reports directly to the President, thus the person who holds this position needs Senate approval. It's probable that the Courts would allow Trump to promote/transfer someone who already has been confirmed by the Senate to be AG, but this is not the case with Whitaker.

 

[zebby23]

Does this mean he will go back to making cookies in a tree?

I have seen this exact post somewhere else

 

[MikeMcMann]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how any of these convictions are related to Trump or Trump's Presidential campaign.

Well you, like a lot of people, do not understand what the Muller Investigation is about.

Muller is there to 'Investigate" any Russian meddling in the Election and any potential collusion or cooperation with Trump or anyone on the Trump campaign.

He already has identified Russian Meddling in the election. Even Trump admits to it now. He already has indictments and guilty pleadings of more than a few people from the Trump campaign in conjunction with Russian meddling. There are dozens more indictments out.

So it is simply impossible to suggest this Muller Investigation has not been extraordinarily successful in addressing what it was constituted for.

And im not going to offer an opinion as to whether Trump directly is guilty of collusion with the Russians as that is not the point. If in the Muller report he says 'after investigating all leads we are unable to establish any Collusion' that is a fair finding that NEEDED to be investigated to be determined. With so many guys such as Manafort and others around him obviously involved with the Russians you need the investigation to give an 'all clear stamp' to ensure the office of POTUS has not been compromised.

 

[Strychnine]