A new report appears to admit that there was an effort by the DOJ and the FBI to “rein in” President Donald Trump in the “chaotic” days following the firing of then FBI Director James Comey.
Top FBI officials and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein reportedly floated options for dealing with the president, whom they believed needed to be checked, even before he fired Comey in May 2017, according to CNN.
With the ongoing, more than 18-month investigation under special counsel Robert Mueller, which has been repeatedly blasted by Trump as a “witch hunt,” the new report exposes details that have come to light about the days immediately following Comey’s firing.
The fact that report came from the normally anti-Trump network CNN got the attention of many people who believe that there must be more to come. The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway called this, and today’s events part of a ‘huge story’ and was all over it (more from Hemingway at end of post):
Leakers now saying to friendly media that probe was about reining Trump in, not uncovering collusion with Russia (which they knew was sans evidence). Their purpose: constrain Trump. Yet is anyone even investigating this years-long scandal, much less holding people to account? https://t.co/X1CAzahYm8
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 7, 2018
CNN reported:
They discussed a range of options, including the idea of Rosenstein wearing a wire while speaking with Trump, which Rosenstein later denied. Ultimately, then-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe took the extraordinary step of opening an obstruction of justice investigation even before special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed, the sources said. The obstruction probe was an idea the FBI had previously considered, but it didn’t start until after Comey was fired. The justification went beyond Trump’s firing of Comey, according to the sources, and also included the President’s conversation with Comey in the Oval Office asking him to drop the investigation into his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
But according to one Justice Department official, Rosenstein was not looking at ways to rein in Trump but rather sought to discuss conducting the investigation with McCabe.
“He never said anything like that,” the source told CNN.
But other sources contend that Rosenstein and other senior officials at the FBI felt Trump needed to be curbed as his behavior made them uneasy.
“It’s shocking that the FBI would open up an obstruction case for the President exercising his authority under Article II,” Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani said.
Less than two weeks after Comey was fired, the probe was launched and Mueller was appointed. Reports came to light that indicated Rosenstein had offered to wear a wire while speaking with Trump and the idea that Cabinet members might invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office. Rosenstein denied the claims later.
The fact that there was an effort by the FBI to open a case prior to the appointment of a special counsel raised eyebrows as The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway noted in a tweet responding to the CNN report.
CNN essentially admits there is a Deep State in the DOJ/FBI trying to “rein in” Trump and to keep him in check, led by Rosentein and in the past by McCabe too. CNN also says talks of controlling Trump predated the firing of Comey.
https://t.co/LTbL0lDGCI— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 7, 2018
Hemingway also broke down comments by Trump on Friday in a tweetstorm slamming Mueller as a biased prosecutor, just ahead of Friday’s anticipated document release by the special counsel.
Comey and Mueller are extremely close, which obviously poses a conflict of interest for a real investigation. Mueller hired quite a few Democrat partisans. You may not like Trump, but these things are legitimate concerns. People should not be afraid to admit that. https://t.co/bPl3aOlC0h
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 7, 2018
Hemingway acknowledged that the president has “legitimate concerns” about the probe despite one’s feelings about him.
Again, Mueller literally once led the agency that is implicated in multiple ways in “Russia” probe. And Weissman’s prosecutorial past is deeply problematic. You may not like Trump, but these are legitimate concerns. People should not be afraid to admit that. https://t.co/0lzPTsku8v
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 7, 2018
Weissman’s zealotry is worthy of coverage, particularly given his track record of being overturned years after damage done. And the curious choice by Mueller to hire him and Democrat partisans is worthy of coverage and interest by all people. These are legit concerns. https://t.co/5YbJGnzgLB
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 7, 2018
The Federalist Senior Editor called out the “leakers” and the “obstructionists” who “ran resistance,” adding that the implications of this “HUGE STORY” have been basically ignored by the mainstream media.
Rosenstein’s conflicts are obvious. But many people at top echelons of DOJ conflicted. Leakers, obstructionists, admitting they ran resistance. Many have been fired, forced to resign, demoted, etc. HUGE STORY, implications of which have been downplayed and ignored by media. https://t.co/4ugkVolUf4
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 7, 2018
Referring to the CNN report, Hemingway noted how sources now admit that the “probe was about reining Trump in” with a goal to “constrain Trump.”
Leakers now saying to friendly media that probe was about reining Trump in, not uncovering collusion with Russia (which they knew was sans evidence). Their purpose: constrain Trump. Yet is anyone even investigating this years-long scandal, much less holding people to account? https://t.co/X1CAzahYm8
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 7, 2018
“Yet is anyone even investigating this years-long scandal, much less holding people to account?” Hemingway asked.
She found plenty who agreed with her on Twitter.
And when did their job become reining in a President? What in the world? ?
— #justagirl (@she_brews11) December 7, 2018
Who the hell are they to “rein in the President of the United States”?? Who appointed them to do so? They work for the President NOT vice versa. Disgusting.
— CJ ? (@politichick_) December 7, 2018
Constrain Trump, clean up their illegal actions against him and his campaign, and be a DNC oppo research group to dig up dirt on Trump to use against him in 2020. Thats what it always was about
— Shane Flannagan (@shaneflannagan) December 7, 2018
“Reigning Trump in” is part of their soft coup and “insurance policy” while covering up the previous administration’s crimes.
— I⚡️H ?? (@ISH_205) December 7, 2018
For them to write this, something BIG must be coming out……..
— ?INCOMING PAIN? (@trumps_all) December 7, 2018
This is a huge admission. How is there still no second Special Counsel to investigate the grievous abuse of power by DOJ/FBI!?!
— Eager Beaver (@_eager_beaver) December 7, 2018
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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