This is worth a thread, so that we can celebrate Christmas cheer on Betty’s thread below.
Donald Trump is attacking James Baker, the top lawyer at the FBI and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. McCabe has announced he is retiring.
Some responses:
The president can obstruct justice by firing senior law enforcement officials and impeachment is a fully constitutional remedy, says Bob Bauer. https://t.co/nLPOyQh5ii
— Lawfare (@lawfareblog) December 22, 2017
Most Americans have never witnessed such a tactic because most of our presidents have acted in good faith in this regard, allowing the Department of Justice and the FBI relative independence to uphold the law.
— Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) December 23, 2017
In many cases, this is accomplished by firing senior law enforcement officials en masse. Our norms make that difficult. So instead, Trump and his allies are working overtime to set the pretext for targeted firings, demotions, and forced retirements to accomplish the same thing.
— Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) December 23, 2017
This taunting is important. It’s Trump’s way of signaling that he has purged the FBI. He doesn’t want anyone to think this is a normal retirement. He wants everyone to see it as a manifestation of his power—and for serving FBI agents & prosecutors to fear crossing him. https://t.co/FfupKzvGKq
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) December 23, 2017
Now if FBI’s Andrew McCabe and James Baker testify against Trump, he will claim it’s sour grapes because he forced them out of their jobs. This is an inversion of reality but it will satisfy Trump’s base.
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) December 23, 2017
History suggests that it's not a super-great idea for an American president to wage war against the FBI and CIA.
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) December 23, 2017
And I expect there will be Republican congresscritters on the Sunday talk shows telling us it’s just fine for the President to attack particular individuals. Or maybe they’ll join in.