For far too long our mainstream media has let Republicans get away with statements like “I’m not talking about that today” — a favorite of Mitch McConnell’s, in fact.
So it’s no surprise that today when asked about President Trump firing the man who is investigating him for possible collusion with a hostile foreign government, the Republican Senate Majority Leader said he won’t talk about Comey beyond what he said on the floor.
.@SenateMajLdr won't talk about Comey firing beyond what he's said on floor
— John Bresnahan (@BresPolitico) May 10, 2017
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Wednesday evening after Trump fired Comey, McConnell said (put your drink down, prepare yourself) no to a special prosecutor because “‘too much is at stake’ to halt an investigation already in progress.”
Oh, it’s like that. The old McConnell ‘I’m not accountable to you people’ routine.
Well, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer wasn’t impressed. Schumer pointed out in floor remarks sent to PoliticusUSA, “The President provided no reasoning for the firing other than that he had the recommendation of his Attorney General – who has already had to recuse himself from the Russia investigation for being too close to the President – and his Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein.”
In other words, the pretext for this firing is bogus. Everyone can see that.
Schumer made a list of 5 questions that he wants answers to, and he requested that McConnell call a closed, if necessary classified, briefing with the AG and Deputy AG separately.
Schumer’s questions:
• Why was Attorney General Sessions, who had recused himself from the Russia investigations, able to influence the firing of the man conducting the Russia investigation?
• Did Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein act on his own or at the direction of his superiors or the White House?
• Are reports that the President has been searching for a rationale to fire the FBI Director for weeks true?
• Was Director Comey’s investigation making significant progress in a direction that would cause political damage for the White House?
• Why didn’t the President wait for the Inspector General’s investigation into Director Comey’s handling of the Clinton email investigation to conclude before making his decision to fire him? Was this really about something else?
Also, Schumer noted, “Mr. Rosenstein has the authority to appoint a special prosecutor right now; he needs no congressional authorization.”
Mitch McConnell tried to get around the obvious problem facing Republicans right now by saying that Democrats had repeatedly criticized Comey in the past and wanted him fired. The problem with McConnell’s dodge here is it has nothing to do with this current situation. The issue here, as McConnell well knows, is that Trump fired someone who was conducting an investigation into Trump.
That has zilch to do with Democrats feelings about Comey.
There’s nothing stopping the appointment of a special prosecutor… unless obstruction of justice is the goal. That would be the only reason not to at this point.
Mitch McConnell’s continued belief that he isn’t accountable to the people or the press has worked for him politically. He is still in office, and in the most powerful position in the U.S. Senate. Maybe he can’t see where this Trump Russia issue is heading, or maybe he knows things we don’t that assure him that he will continue to get away with his conduct unbecoming of a Senator, a patriot, and a supposed representative of the people.
But there’s a little crack in McConnell’s firewall. This morning, three Republican Senators joined with Democrats to block Trump’s repeal of Obama era regulations on oil and gas drilling.
McConnell can keep running, and this can go on for years. But the truth will come out eventually. And all of those who enabled the obstruction will possibly pay even more than anyone who is being investigated right now. Trump might be riding right over McConnell’s back.
Mitch McConnell has chosen time and time again to stand by his man, even when it meant putting the country last. He’s sacrificed everything for Donald Trump.
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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