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from the will-no-one-rid-me-of-this-turbulent-priest^W-Attorney-General? dept.
We had two Soylentils submit stories about Attorney General Jeff Sessions:
Trump fires Attorney General Jeff Sessions
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46132348
"US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been fired by President Donald Trump.
[...] Mr Trump said Mr Sessions will be temporarily replaced by his chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, who has criticised the Russia inquiry.
[...] In a resignation letter, Mr Sessions - a former Alabama senator who was an early supporter of Mr Trump - made clear the decision to go was not his own.
[...] The president cannot directly fire the special counsel, whose investigation Mr Trump has repeatedly decried as a witch hunt. But Mr Sessions' replacement will have the power to fire Mr Mueller or end the inquiry.
[...] Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he looks forward to 'working with President Trump to find a confirmable, worthy successor so that we can start a new chapter at the Department of Justice'.
Mr Graham, of South Carolina, had said last year there would be 'holy hell to pay' if Mr Sessions was ever fired."
[...] House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said: "It is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions' firing as anything other than another blatant attempt by President Trump to undermine & end Special Counsel Mueller's investigation."
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions Resigns
Jeff Sessions is out. The new Acting Attorney General is Matthew G. Whitaker:
President Donald Trump on Wednesday fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "At your request I am submitting my resignation," Sessions wrote in a letter to White House chief of staff John Kelly.
Matthew Whitaker will take over as acting attorney general, the President said. Whitaker is expected to take charge of the Russia investigation and special counsel Robert Mueller from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Whitaker has been openly critical of Mueller and the investigation and Democrats immediately called on him to recuse himself, just as Sessions had.
See also: New acting A.G. criticized Mueller probe several times
What does Jeff Sessions's firing mean for Mueller and the Trump-Russia inquiry?
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Trump and Sessions Plan to Restrict H-1B Workers. Hyderabad Says to Bring It On.
Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions Backs Crypto Backdoors
Washington State Will Resist Federal Crackdown on Cannabis
DoJ Reverses Plans to Reduce the Use of Private Prisons
New Attorney General Claims Legal Weed Drives Violent Crime; Statistics be Damned
Trump Administration's War on Science Reaches DoJ
4/20: The Third Time's Not the Charm
Jeff Sessions Reboots the Drug War
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions Will Rescind the Cole Memo
President Trump Backed Off from Ordering Special Counsel Mueller Fired
President Trump Promises to Support State Legalization of Cannabis; Boehner Evolves
(Score: 5, Insightful) by RandomFactor on Thursday November 08 2018, @01:01PM (27 children)
That isn't the AG Trump wants and the AG serves at his pleasure. I've never understood the view that because folks don't like the president he can't actually use his legal authority (and arguably obligation) to staff with more appropriate (from his view) personnel.
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Sessions made the calculation that avoiding the whole Mueller affair was his best path, attempting to preserve job viability with both parties. Anyone who thought that would be a long term recipe for success with Trump is an idiot. Additionally he has achieved the perception of enabling forces opposed to his employer through inaction. This generally leads to similar results anywhere, and typically much more quickly.
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Had he discouraged scope creep and kept the "Russia Collusion" investigation within bounds the calculus would likely have been different, but he would have also burned potential bridges into future non-Trump administrations also.
I don't know if he did the right thing for himself , his future, or his principles. I just know the results shouldn't surprise anyone.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 5, Insightful) by PiMuNu on Thursday November 08 2018, @02:40PM (11 children)
> Sessions made the calculation that avoiding the whole Mueller affair was his best path, attempting to preserve job viability with both parties.
The Trump administration seems to be so incredibly cynical that a statement like this is appropriate.
> This generally leads to similar results anywhere
Only if your boss is a sociopath.
(Score: 4, Touché) by Phoenix666 on Thursday November 08 2018, @03:01PM (10 children)
I've never had a boss who wasn't a sociopath.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Thursday November 08 2018, @04:14PM (8 children)
> I've never had a boss who wasn't a sociopath.
Don't give Trump excuses.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Thursday November 08 2018, @06:03PM (7 children)
Don't act like that's a special state of affairs.
Sociopaths belong in a leper colony in the South Pacific, not running our banks, companies, or governments.
As sociopaths go, however, this particular sociopath (accepting the premise that he is a sociopath, for the sake of argument) has done more of what he promised than any other sociopath I've ever seen in government. He did kill the TPP. That is still worth the price of all the rest. He has levied tariffs against China and others who have been taking advantage of lopsided trade agreements for years. He has tried to use the bully pulpit to bring manufacturing back to America. Nobody else has even tried for 30 years. He has taken measures to secure the borders and get tough on illegal immigration; now, that's not an issue I care about but it is something he promised to work on, and he has. He has been a staunch supporter of Israel (again, I couldn't care less about Israel but he promised he'd be a strong supporter and he has been). He promised to get tough on North Korea, and he did. He promised to get tough on Iran, and he did.
Maybe those things are desirable, and maybe they aren't, but he did promise to do something about them, and he has.
Personally, I am disgruntled he has not made good on his promise to put Hillary in jail or to drain the Swamp.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @07:55PM
Wow, so you built up the online-persona just for these time period? I had a feeling you'd turn this way, but wow it still surprises.
I wasn't sad to see the TPP go, but now it seems likely that all it will do is cut the US out of a variety of trade deals and harm us economically in the long run. I could excuse that ONE item, but then you go on about trump trying to bring back jobs?
My bet is on you being yet another fake user account. Using the background of a seriously disgruntled Democrat who was personally hurt by the Clintons was a good move. You could vent your true feelings while pretending to be something else.
You liars should ashamed of yourselves, but hey you probably don't even realize YOU are on of the sociopaths.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @08:04PM (1 child)
I had a post written up that disproved every single point you made while adding additional things Drumpf fucked up during his first 2 years in office but soylentnews took a dump. So rather than waste another 10 minutes I'll just point out the obvious: You're a fucking idiot if you actually believe your own shit.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @10:54PM
Yup, he suffers from CDS and Trump won him over with his "lock her up" chants.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @08:15PM
So he did everything he promised to do, except the things of merit.
Of as the doctors say, the operation was a success but the patient has died.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @08:23PM
Provisions from the TPP are actually being inserted into the USMCA. So much for that.
(Score: 2) by NewNic on Friday November 09 2018, @01:27AM
Yeah, about that.. Trump’s Tariffs Have Fully Kicked In—Yet China’s Exports Grow [wsj.com]
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 09 2018, @04:35AM
> He has levied tariffs against China and others who have been taking advantage of lopsided trade agreements for years. He has tried to use the bully pulpit to bring manufacturing back to America.
Unfortunately, some of the manufacturing that has come back to USA (before Trump) relies on Asian-made parts. The tariffs have been hell on these small companies.
Here's one, a rugged-ized tablet assembler, https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/nov/1/buffalo-tablet-maker-bak-usa-suddenly-shuts-ak-usa/ [washingtontimes.com]
Not Foxconn, but not nothing either, they were training people that have often been given up on. Longer story in Buffalo News, but couldn't find it easily.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday November 09 2018, @04:51AM
I'll note that I never had that problem with bosses though I've had a couple who were moderately delusional. What makes your life experiences any more relevant than mine?
As to the original couple of postings in this thread, it doesn't take sociopathy to fire someone who is actively and deliberately undermining a work environment. This one-sided psychoanalysis of boss-employee relations really needs an overhaul.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @03:53PM (4 children)
"Sessions made the calculation that avoiding the whole Mueller affair was his best path, attempting to preserve job viability with both parties."
Why do you think that was his main concern?
Sessions certainly has not admitted as much and you, yourself, admit that his actions are inconsistent with that goal. IIRC his stated position was something along the lines of [1] not being willing to compromise his professional ethics and [2] trusting that his subordinates don't need to be micromanaged.
"I've never understood the view that because folks don't like the president he can't actually use his legal authority (and arguably obligation) to staff with more appropriate (from his view) personnel."
The main answer is that people who don't like Trump will be appalled at his actions no matter what.
Another answer is that the president should be held to a higher moral standard for their behavior instead of just what they can legally get away with.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by slinches on Thursday November 08 2018, @04:50PM (3 children)
When was the last time that was actually true rather than just the facade of it? Certainly every president in the last 30 years has only given lip service to the notion that Presidents should be held to the highest ethical standards.
It's not an excuse, but lifting the veil of pretense doesn't really change what's going on, just who is aware of it.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @05:27PM (2 children)
The opposition party typically takes great pleasure in pointing out these questionably ethical decisions and it probably contributes to the motivation of the opposition party to vote and discourages the encombant party from voting.
The lack of support and general distaste for Trump and Clinton, within their own party, had more to do with their character and less to do with their policies. While I wouldn't consider this accountability adequate (as it doesn't outweigh party tribalism), it still counts for something.
Nevertheless, I'd say it is reasonable to try to impose higher ethical standards (beyond just what is legal) on the behavior of elected leaders.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Thursday November 08 2018, @05:37PM
What would we peons have to talk about then? Just weather and sports? Please, give that idea a break - or six. Just shatter it, alright?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by slinches on Thursday November 08 2018, @05:55PM
I agree with that. I was just pointing out that the lack of accountability (from both party members and the voting public in general) has been an issue for a long time. Maybe by dropping that pretense and exposing the ugliness of the process openly, the Trump administration will unintentionally make it clear how unacceptable this sort of behavior really is. I'm hoping it will help the electorate be able to respect genuine honesty and integrity that will override the tribalistic party loyalties and we can get some politicians into office who are actually good people.
Though, for that to happen, we will need some help from the media and non-political public figures to stop the escalation of the conflicts that are feeding the divisive nature of current political discourse.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by tibman on Thursday November 08 2018, @04:49PM (4 children)
Yes, the AG serves at the President's pleasure but the AG also serves the United States. If you were forced to choose loyalty to your Country or to your Boss, which do you pick? Looks to me like Jeff was fired for doing his job and not doing what Trump wanted.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08 2018, @05:43PM
All AG's please the president. Some when they come in the door, others when they exit through the same door.
(Score: 2) by RandomFactor on Thursday November 08 2018, @07:34PM (2 children)
False dichotomy. If his perspective was preemptively that loyalty to his country and his president were opposing, then removing him was the right thing to do.
It's unfortunate because he was very much not a bad AG or bad person and extremely competent. But he is not what Trump wanted in that position.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2) by tibman on Friday November 09 2018, @12:45AM (1 child)
What Trump wants changes between every TV commercial.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 2) by RandomFactor on Sunday November 11 2018, @12:35AM
Yeah, I doubt even his most ardent supporters would argue that Trump would not benefit from sanitizing his data inputs (and outputs) a bit.
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On the other hand a President that watches the same news sources as the public, and talks directly to them bypassing all the filters built up over the years to keep that from happening, is disruptive of business as usual in and of itself.
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Trump isn't there because the people wanted another 8 years of rearranging the silverware. They wanted the table kicked over.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 3, Insightful) by urza9814 on Thursday November 08 2018, @07:36PM
Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's ethical, moral, or a good idea.
(Score: 3, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday November 08 2018, @07:37PM (3 children)
That seems like a weird way to run a country.
Surely you guys have rule of law? Maybe the law does not apply to some people.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by RandomFactor on Thursday November 08 2018, @07:51PM (1 child)
The President can remove the AG at any time for any reason.
There are many positions like this in the world and government and also many that have more job security. If the implication is that this should not be the case for the AG then there is a legal process to change the law.
Noone is (correctly) saying the President cannot fire the AG. They are saying we don't want him to so we will make a stink.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 3, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday November 08 2018, @08:24PM
I understand that.
It also seems like the US public have become so desensitized to corruption that this just looks normal.
I mean even Spiro Agnew didn't go to jail, and he took bribes.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 09 2018, @04:12AM
Yes. The laws here only apply to those without power and influence (money).
In the last half century (probably much longer), there isn't a president of the US that would not be behind bars (with most of his cabinet), if laws were fairly applied. E.g., the victims of a mass murderer in the white house, or corporate C-suite/board room are just as dead as the victims of today's* mass shooting spree. The body counts by Reagan, in Guatemala alone, make him a genocidal monster. Per UNICEF, Clinton killed half a million children under the age of 14 with his sanctions against the Iraqi people... Looks like Trump is out to kill Iranian children now.
* We are on track for an average of one per day for 2018 with 307 mass shootings in 2018 so far.