In Wake of Comey Firing, Amash and McCain Demand Special Commission

"My staff and I are reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia," Amash tweets.

President Donald Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey earlier tonight is raising neck hairs across the political spectrum. Already, Freedom Caucus Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) have called for the appointment of a special commission to investigate Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign:

Removal of Director Comey only confirms need for select cmte to investigate #Russia's interference in 2016 election https://t.co/LfKlwSw6iQ

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) May 9, 2017

My staff and I are reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia. The second paragraph of this letter is bizarre. https://t.co/wXeDtVIQiP

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 9, 2017

"This is a desperate act by a vulnerable, comprised president to avoid accountability," tweeted third party presidential candidate Evan McMullin:

This is a desperate act by a vulnerable, comprised president to avoid accountability. The people's Congress must step up its investigations! https://t.co/N36p68pVPM

— Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) May 9, 2017

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is also calling for a special committee:

We need a real, independent prosecutor who @realDonaldTrump can't fire, Sessions can't intimidate, & Congress can't muzzle. We need it now.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 9, 2017

And here's Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oreg.)

Comey should be immediately called to testify in an open hearing about the status of Russia/Trump investigation at the time he was fired.

— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) May 9, 2017

(Wyden's full statement is here.)

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY.) has a theory:

AG Sessions lied under oath about meetings with Kislyak. One way to exert control after recusal is by getting rid of FBI Director. Chilling.

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) May 9, 2017

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is "troubled by the timing and reasoning" of Comey's dismissal:

"I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey's termination," Sen. Burr (R-NC) says https://t.co/RYsIHJPnLI pic.twitter.com/DIdXa3vVdI

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 9, 2017

Even Edward Snowden is bothered:

This FBI Director has sought for years to jail me on account of my political activities. If I can oppose his firing, so can you. https://t.co/zUp5kquy8q

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 9, 2017

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is not bothered:

Susan Collins, whole-heartedly backing Trump's decision to can Comey. pic.twitter.com/PzjITco6AS

— Matt Viser (@mviser) May 10, 2017

(Timing could definitely be better. Trump is reportedly meeting tomorrow with Russia's foreign minister.)

The Nixon Presidential Library, meanwhile, wants Twitter to stop calling this a "Nixonian" play:

FUN FACT: President Nixon never fired the Director of the FBI #FBIDirector #notNixonian pic.twitter.com/PatArKOZlk

— RichardNixonLibrary (@NixonLibrary) May 9, 2017

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

What would President Hillary do?

[Waitstill Sharp]

She wouldn't turned over the DOJ to that fascist asshole Sessions and god knows who he'll appoint to renew our faith in the crown jewel of law enforcing.

[DenverJ]

Meh, the job description for AG is pretty much "must be a fascist asshole." Sessions had a good chance of getting the job under any Republican president, and a decent chance of being nominated as Hillary's token Republican.

[hetaz]

I'm making over $7k a month working part time. I kept hearing other people tell me how much money they can make online so I decided to look into it. Well, it was all true and has totally changed my life.

This is what I do.,.,.,.,.,.. http://www.webcash10.com

[Tony]

Loser.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I know right? She was the one candidate so unpalatable that she couldn't even beat Donald Trump, the dumbest-sounding candidate in a very stupid line of offerings. Total loser.

[Bandito Blanco]

If your first thought is "What about Hillary?" Maybe skip commenting and go think about how you got to be someone that thinks of themselves as a libertarian but somehow became a knee jerk reactionary defending an aspiring autocrat.

[Brian]

You know, our country is almost at war with North Korea. How can we tolerate this kind of silly distraction, when there are big matters and stake?

But, no, we have to live in the past, dealing with big fake scandals and big nothing burger's, over and over again.

MoveOn.

[Bandito Blanco]

Yes, yes, nothing to see here, we need to move on. After all, we do have several looming crises caused by this administration's embarrassing incompetence, we have no time to investigate the potentially treasonous acts that put them in power.

[DanO.]

several looming crises caused by this administration's embarrassing incompetence

B-b-b-b-b-but not Hillary!

[Brian]

What difference, at this point, does it make?

[DenverJ]

Please enlighten us to these "several looming crises caused by this administration's embarrassing incompetence".
'K thanks

[wareagle]

what treasonous acts were committed? Hillary lost, simple as that. Funny that you ignore that, as SoS, she took money from foreign govts - Russia included - while making decisions that involved those govts. Probably not treason, either, but it should have DQ'd her for cause.

[Bandito Blanco]

Wareagle: I'm ignoring Hillary because she is not president, will not be president and is a wholly irrelevant distraction. What the fuck are you even talking about?

[wareagle]

You're the one waxing about imaginary treasonous acts and "several looming crises" that remain unspecified. And Hillary is a distraction? For reelz? The whole talking point has been that Russian interference cost her the election. She's on the road lately saying Comey is the reason she lost. Seems that makes her a principle.

[DanO.]

What the fuck are you even talking about?

Pay no attention to that Cheeto behind the curtain!

[Mark D]

What should I read to care about this issue one way or another? Why should I care about Russian Interference in the election?

[ThomasD]

Newsflash, our country has been in a state of 'almost war' with North Korea since July 27, 1953.

That's why it is called an armistice.

[DanO.]

If your first thought is "What about Hillary?" Maybe skip commenting and go think about how you got to be someone

I guess it all depends on your definition of "someone."

[Fist of Etiquette]

But isn't it funny to think of Comey investigating both major presidential candidates? How much more alike than unlike the two are, even with their different backgrounds? None of that strikes anyone but me as high-larious?

Resistance is futile because this is what we were going to get, no matter what.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Fist is right stare at this brouhaha with the sarc it deserves. If you are motivated to take a side (as so many of you have) then you are a partisan fucking hack. The true libertarians are looking at this with crystal clear vision -- both parties have lauded and condemned Comey in turn when it was politically beneficial to do so. How can you people look at this with truth and conviction and not see that simple fact? This is the meaningless political flavor of the week and most of you are just running after the ice cream truck.

[Chocolate Starfish ( . )]

- "Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign"
There was a choice to vote for "not Trump, nor Clinton, nor Johnson? SSF. Missed it

[Chipper Mourning Somali Roadz]

Well. This thread is more fun than a special ed roller derby.

[wareagle]

weren't Dems demanding that Comey be fired before the election?

[Waitstill Sharp]

Yep its complicated.

[wareagle]

it's really not. There is nothing to repeated claims of Russian interference and there is plenty of evidence that Team Obama conducted surveillance on Trump's campaign. For some reason, facts > political intrigue.

[Tony]

Your brain is done pickled, son.

[wareagle]

So you missed the part where Obama dogwashers told the media to not say there was no surveillance, just that the WH did not directly order it. That part is known to have happened; meanwhile numerous stories have provided no evidence of Russian interference.

[Tony]

So the justice department remains in the tank for Obama?

Trump must be a moron.

Stop reading trash.

[DenverJ]

"Stop reading trash"
I'm trying, but you keep posting 😉

[wareagle]

So the justice department remains in the tank for Obama?

where did I say that? Oh, that's right; nowhere.

[Mark D]

Suppose I grant the DNC/Podesta was hacked by Russia what should I read to make me care?

[Bandito Blanco]

Wareagle, go lie down for a while, you're confused.

[wareagle]

The surveillance happened. No one denies that. Did your Google break?

[Bandito Blanco]

You're talking about when NSA was surveilling Russian actors and Trump's team was talking to them. Like I said, you're confused.

[wareagle]

But Team Obama denied surveilling anyone in Trump's camp. The denials were plentiful and furious.

[Tony]

What does that have to do with anything going on now, except to serve as a desperate deflection you stole directly from Trump.

[Brian]

I keep waiting for someone to prove that Trump deserves to go to jail. And I keep waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting

[DanO.]

Oh Brian. "Incompetent narcissist and pathological liar" doesn't necessarily mean "jail worthy."

[Brian]

So it's Tuesday?

Gee: let's get excited!

[Bandito Blanco]

Brian, I know it seems like this is taking a long time, but in the history books, "Less than a year" will sound very short for an administration.

[Brian]

Maybe you and DanO should get together and figure out if Trump's going to jail or not.

[Ron Bailey]

B: Give it a bit more time.

[Brian]

R: Sure. I'll wait.

What will the charge be?

[Azathoth!!]

Ron Bailey|5.9.17 @ 11:06PM|#

B: Give it a bit more time.

Why?

What kind of retarded shit is this, Ron? Have you really gone all in with this?

'Give it more time'--yes--Trump's rampant criminality will out, yes? What the hell?

Does Nye need another blithering head for his roundtable?

[DanO.]

A desperate deflection

Official Motto, Trump Administration

[Praveen R.]

Seriously. go to freerepublic.

[Praveen R.]

Especially the Hillaryites

[SIV]

So Justin Amash (R-reason) is a Putin-Truther.

How's that deep state dick taste, Justin?

[Brian]

So Comey's wheel finally stops on "victim"? Good for him!

[bendover]

In my opinion, Trump should call their bluff. If I was him, I'd would not only set up a special prosecutor into into the Trump / Russia connection - I would also announce that, in order to "drain the swamp", I'm appointing several other special prosecutors to pursue:

1. Hilary's handling of classified info
2. Lois Lerner and the IRS
3. The Iran deal
4. Huma and Antony's possession of classified documents
5. The illegal investigation and unmasking of US citizens
6. The Clinton Foundation's ties to Russia and the influence peddling
7. The Democrat Party's admitting on tape that they sent paid thugs to start fights at the Republican convention
8. etc...

Let's see who ends up in jail.

[Bandito Blanco]

bend, this is real life, not infowars fantasy land.

[DanO.]

It's Cheetos all the way down.

[DenverJ]

Add Clapper's lies (under oath!) to Congress, and Lynch.

[Chip Your Pets]

President doesn't appoint special prosecutors, which is kind of the point. Congress controls that process and you can bet the Dems would filibuster any attempt to make it more expansive than the Russia thing.

[DarkHelmet]

I like it! Investigate like crazy, says I. Pretty sure the Dems will come out worse for wear, but let's say Trump did something really nefarious. Let's say he actually gets impeached and convicted. (there is zero chance of this happening, but just suppose.) Now Pence is president. That's a good outcome as far as I'm concerned.

Okay, let's now assume that Pence was complicit in the whole, sordid mess (that no one has yet explained to be a crime or even anything improper.) Impeach and convict Pence, too. Now Ryan is the president. This is an even better outcome.

Bottom line: the Dems don't really want to impeach Trump. They want him to be a foil for the next three + years. They have no plans, no policies, no leaders and nothing interesting to say. "Trump is EVIL!" is their entire schtick.

[DanO.]

Donald J. Trump
? @realDonaldTrump
I am NOT a crook!
9:09 PM - 9 May 2017

[Brian]

I have to give Trump credit where credit is due: he just doesn't have two fucks to give.

[DanO.]

HE DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT
[Door plaque, Trump Library]

[Brian]

Call down, Dano. There's no need to start screaming. This really isn't that important.

[DanO.]

Slurp.

[TGoodchild]

Haha, I spit up some cappuccino after reading that.

[Ken Shultz]

Trump came into office with a plan to form a cooperative relationship with Russia--especially in regards to fighting ISIS in Syria. That sort of arrangement isn't unprecedented. In fact, our cooperative relationship with Stalin helped us destroy the Third Reich and helped us chase Imperial Japan out of China, too. Putin isn't a nice guy either--but he's far better than Stalin..

Certainly, the interests of American security are more important than the whining of journalists about with whom our presidents choose to shake hands. And make no mistake, if they weren't whining about Trump being a pragmatist, they'd be whining about Trump doing nothing about ISIS and Syria. If Trump were listening to the neocons, they'd be whining that he should just be doing nothing.

I remember watching the same whining over China's MFN status back before China joined the WTO in 2001. E.g., 'Can you believe that our leaders would trade with China after Tienanmen Square? Don't they know that China has political prisoners? Haven't they listened to the Dalai Lama?!'

These days, you know how AGW supposedly means America can't have capitalism anymore? Well, back then, China's authoritarianism meant Americans couldn't have free trade. The interests are different this time, but they're whining from the same old songbook.

[Praveen R.]

I don't think anyone is as horrible as Stalin. IN some ways , Stalin may be worse than Hitler. Hitler at least liked some part of his country as horrible of a man he was with others. I don't know if Stalin liked anyone but himself.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

I am sure there were a few Ukrainians he was sorry he murdered.

[Ken Shultz]

Some of the singers up there are especially suspect, too, with John McCain being an excellent example. John McCain, with the other neocons, has done everything in his power to undermine Trump's attempts to form a cooperative relationship with Russia, and it has nothing to do with his fears about Russia influencing our elections. It has everything to do with Russian-American cooperation undermining the neocons' ability to go to war in Syria and Iran in the future.

If America ever formally concedes Syria to Russian and Iranian influence and control, then there won't be any Syrian War like the Iraq War, and that makes neocons sad and angry. If Syria and Iran become Russia's problem to solve, then what other Reason staff have called "the deep state" will have lost a huge part of their turf and their argument for more power, control, and funding. This is why the neocons are so dead set on hanging Trump's attempts at cooperation with Russia around his neck like an albatross.

During the campaign, when Trump was talking about putting America's interests first, I think this is one of the things he was talking about. If it's in America's best interests to coordinate with Putin or Stalin, then that's what we should do--no matter what John McCain and the warmonger neocons want. I know this may be controversial, but America's interests are probably more important than Liz Warren scoring points with former Hillary donors ahead of 2020, too.

[Ken Shultz]

P.S. If lots of different kinds of people have lots of different reasons to start a witch hunt, that doesn't mean it isn't a witch hunt.

[DanO.]

Thanks for the novella. You're still a Republican hack.

[Ken Shultz]

Yeah, nothing says "Republican hack" like denouncing McCain and the neocons as a bunch of unrepentant warmongers.

You wouldn't know an ad hominem fallacy if it were smeared all over your face, would you?

You're a fucking idiot.

[DanO.]

smeared all over your face

Ken, in the mirror, after a Trump facial.

[Ken Shultz]

Have you ever written anything interesting, and, if so, can you link to it?

[Chip Your Pets]

That sounds homophobic.

Men getting their faces spooged on is a perfectly laudable practice to those of us who value diversity, you heteronormative cisbigot.

[Brian]

Children, please: the name calling. Let's try to be classy, now.

[Ken Shultz]

My comment wasn't name calling.

It was a syllogism.

1) DanO. is wrong about me being a Republican hack because I'm clearly denouncing Republican hacks.

2) DanO. is engaging in ad hominem fallacies that wouldn't fly in a freshman critical thinking class.

3) Therefore, DanO. is a fucking idiot.

That's not name calling.

[DenverJ]

Ken's right. Now, if he had capitalized Fucking Idiot, then it becomes as proper noun, i.e. s name.
Also DanO. really is a fucking idiot.

[DenverJ]

Ken's right. Now, if he had capitalized Fucking Idiot, then it becomes as proper noun, i.e. s name.
Also DanO. really is a fucking idiot.

[wareagle]

it appears the squirrelz agree with you, Denver.

[DenverJ]

Smart squirrels.

[DanO.]

Not that Ken isn't a long-winded Republican hack.

[Bandito Blanco]

Ken,

This is not a syllogism, it's 3 unconnected statements, and even if it was it wouldn't be as clever as you think it is.

[ThomasD]

If, by "unconnected" you actually mean "things I personally refuse to accept," then you are correct.

Otherwise, not.

[KBeckman]

You know, for a former POW McCain doesn't seem to have any problem throwing US soldiers at problems that are not in our interests.

[Ken Shultz]

The one thing I give McCain credit for is standing up against torture during the Bush administration. Sometimes, I just throw my hands up. I don't get it either. It may have something to do with Vietnam, though.

I know someone whose father died as a result of his service in Vietnam. You can't talk sensibly about Vietnam with her--she's sure it was important and that her father didn't die in vain. You can't get her to be against the war that killed her father, though.

It's like the sacrifice isn't as bad as the idea that the sacrifice was for nothing important, and I sometimes wonder if McCain isn't trading on the same principle. Sacrificing people maybe isn't as bad as long as they're doing it for a good reason, and the neocons think they're dropping bombs on people for freedom and democracy.

P.S. Christopher Hitchens wrote a book called, Why Orwell Matters, but he was a huge neocon. When Orwell wasn't railing against totalitarian communism, he was going off about imperialism. When Hitchens was cheering on Bush saving Iraq by spreading American civilization at the point of a gun, why didn't "Shooting an Elephant" matter? I throw my hands up. I don't get it.

[loveconstitution1789]

Remember, most enlisted people are conservative in nature and typically vote Republican.

You would be surprised how many military officers vote Democrat or are/were Democrats.
Jimmy Carter, JFK, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, Jim Webb, Wesley Clark.

Enlisted folks usually are promoted based on merit or actions. Officers play politics in the military to work their way up and its not always what you know but who you know. Numerous examples in US history of officers sending their men to the slaughter for reasons other that tactical or strategic necessity. I think this carries over to civilian life when an officer enters politics. Chances are they didn't give two shits about those enlisted folks and they don't give a shit about you either.

[T in NJ]

Go for it, have McCain and Warren show up ay 08:30 every working day.

[DanO.]

LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!!

[DanO.]

Somebody told me libertarians weren't closet Republicans and I laughed and laughed and laughed.

[DenverJ]

Yeah, because during the Bush administration nobody was calling him on nation building, Guantanamo, NSA spying, etc.

[DanO.]

Disaffected Republicans unhappy with W.
And after half a million dead Muslims, still Republicans.

[KBeckman]

Well after years of their own cheer leading for the removal of Saddam the Democrats certainly didn't have the right to speak out.

[DanO.]

Anyway, it's been fun chatting with the goobers, but doesn't anyone have a glib smoked-pork recipe?

[Chocolate Starfish ( . )]

Dan"O" - brings to mind an image of the face of an inflatable sex doll.

[Remnant Psyche]

Deflated sex dolls have more depth and dignity than DanO.

[Brian]

Democrats: "Director Comey has been completely irresponsible with regards to the 2016 election. He needs to be held accountable!"

Trump: "OK: he's fired."

Democrats: "OMGERD YOU'RE ADOLF NIXON!"

[DenverJ]

"Adolf Nixon"
-very good, I actually snorted some beer up my nose.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

Democrats: "OMGERD YOU'RE ADOLF NIXON!"

Stealing that.

[DenverJ]

I actually do. Thanks for your concern.

[DanO.]

Anyone remember "Hyperion," one of Hit & Run's Republican refugees? He so glib:

Hyperion on May 9, 2017 at 8:43 pm

The pantshitting on TSTSNBN over Comey getting fired is fucking epic. This like totally proves that the Russians hacked everything, comrades.

You people are totally pantshitting! Fucking epic. Dude!

[Brian]

How long have you been following him?

[DenverJ]

Hey, what I, you, or Hyp does in the privacy of own pants is nobody else's business!

[Brian]

You're right: whoever DanO crush/stalks is his own business.

[Not a True MJG]

These mini-controversies are so damn tiresome; just look at all the weirdos flooding this place.

Who are you? Where do you come from? What do you wanna do with your liiiiiife?

[DenverJ]

Hookers and blow. No hesitation.

[KBeckman]

I wanna rock?

[Jerryskids]

It looks like Trump's getting the Bush treatment - evil genius and retarded chimpanzee on alternate days. The only reason Trump could have for suddenly firing Comey is because Comey's getting too close to the smoking gun that'll prove Trump conspired with Putin to rig the election rather than the more obvious explanation that Trump just does random shit for no reason? I'll stick with the more plausible one.

[Chip Your Pets]

That conspiracy also only works if Comey was pulling a Mace Windu and not telling anyone else about the evidence he found before confronting the chancellor about being the most powerful Sith master in the universe?

[colorblindkid]

Exxxxxxactly.

[Chip Your Pets]

Into the wayback machine 6 days ago. Notable conservative Angela Marx of Daily Kos [/sarcasm] calls for Comey to resign and be prosecuted immediately for violating the Hatch Act.

What he also revealed about his letter to the Congress less than two weeks before the election of November 8, 2016 BEFORE he wrote and sent that letter?

That he knew that the contents of the letter would be leaked to the public.

Which makes him self-identified as a violator of the Hatch Act, by his own words and actions.

Director of the FBI, James Comey, needs to resign immediately and be charged and prosecuted for this egregious violation of a law his own Agency is supposed to enforce.

It's as plain as the words coming directly from his own lips.

[Chip Your Pets]

Now that far-right outlet The Huffington Post, from November 3.

Comey Violated The Hatch Act And Must Be Fired

Comey violated long-standing precedents and prosecutorial discretion and independence in order to help the American People make a decision in this election. Thus, he admitted his intent in disclosing this information was to affect the election.

And that is a violation of the Hatch Act.

So no, Comey does not have to be locked up. But he does have to be fired.

[DanO.]

Anyone here remember when the Reason chat rooms were libertarian not Republican?
Good times.

[Crying Zelda Morning Link]

You can actually see in my monthly billable hours report when H&R went full Trumpalo. They said I'd be richer if Trump was elected, and they were right!

[Chip Your Pets]

Not sure. Was that also when Democrats wanted the president to fire Comey for his handling of the Hillary email thing?

[Brian]

I hate Republicans.

They're almost as stupid as Democrats.

[Ron Bailey]

D: Yes

[Playa Manhattan.]

Huh. I never thought you'd be the final nail in the coffin. But here we are.

[Chip Your Pets]

I don't think that's really Ron Bailey. Somebody must be playing tricks with Unicode characters.

[Playa Manhattan.]

It is.

[DanO.]

Crybaby.

[Chip Your Pets]

How disappointed you must be at people quoting what Democrats were saying 6 days ago.

[Tony]

Why would Democrats who have no government power be relevant to anything to you people right now?

[Chip Your Pets]

It's very relevant that the people now assailing this action were calling for it themselves but a few days ago.

[Calidissident]

Is it only Democrats assailing it? Did all Democrats think Comey should be fired? Is it it not possible to think he deserved to be fired (personally I didn't, at least for the reasons some Democrats wanted him gone) and also be skeptical of Trump's timing and motive here? It's not exactly news that some Democrats are partisan hypocrites, but that's not exactly the biggest part of the story here, and it doesn't mean Trump's off the hook. Maybe this was just an innocent, poorly-timed move, but you don't have to be a Democrat to think it looks suspicious.

[Chip Your Pets]

Is it it not possible to think he deserved to be fired and also be skeptical of Trump's timing and motive here?

It's possible but it's stupid. If it was OK for Obama to fire him in January, it's OK for Trump to fire him now.

The Russia investigation has been going on since BEFORE THE ELECTION. We're talking half a year here. It's not like firing Comey strangles an investigation in its crib. They've been investigating for months and not found a shred of evidence to support the claims -- and if Comey was on the trail of a "smoking gun", other people at FBI would know too and would be following up on it. The idea that this firing was done to cover up for Russia ties is ludicrous.

[Calidissident]

The official explanation is ludicrous so where does that leave us? I'm not even arguing that trump did it because the Russia investigation will expose him I'm saying that it's questionable looking and should be looked into. But I also don't see how you can totally dismiss the importance of having a loyal FBI director when you're under investigation. It's no guarantee you'll be off the hook but there's still motive there.

People here wanted comet fired after he didn't recommend prosecution for clinton but if Obama had fired him people here still would have rightly been suspicious

[Chip Your Pets]

How is the official explanation ludicrous? It's the same thing that Democrats were calling for a few months ago to a few days ago, depending on the particular Dem.

I'm not even arguing that trump did it because the Russia investigation will expose him I'm saying that it's questionable looking and should be looked into.

If you don't think the Russia conspiracy claims are plausible, then how is the firing "questionable"? You seem to be engaging in motte-and-bailey argument here.

[Calidissident]

Seriously? Trump thought for months that comey went easy on Hillary in the investigation and that he did a great thing with his last minute letter and you expect to believe that he actually fired him because he was too hard on her? The fact that these reasons are what democrats cited would be relevant if this was a democratic president doing it. That only bolsters my point because I find it highly unlikely that trump fired him for reasons that only partisan democrats were advocating 24 hours ago. The awkward and comically out of place line about not investigating him personally just makes it look even more off.

I didn't say they weren't plausible I'm saying I don't think there's enough evidence at this point that it's the most likely possibility. It's also possible that's there's nothing significant there but trump thought it would be less of a distraction and go away easier if he had one of his people in charge of the FBI. Or maybe he just didn't like comey. It's not a binary situation where you either have to believe he colluded with Russia or you have to think there's no reason to have any skepticism or look into any of this further.

[Chip Your Pets]

The fact that these reasons are what democrats cited would be relevant if this was a democratic president doing it.

Baloney. Were the reasons ludicrous when the Democrats were calling for him to be fired? If not, how have they become ludicrous now? They were either ludicrous the entire time or they weren't the entire time.

I didn't say they weren't plausible I'm saying I don't think there's enough evidence at this point that it's the most likely possibility.

So you think they are plausible? Can you even articulate what this Russia-Trump conspiracy was supposed to be? Who were the players that were supposed to benefit from it and how? If not, I don't get how you can consider it plausible even.

[DenverJ]

Sure, that's all true. Here's two points:
1. The choice of who is director of the FBI is 100% the president's.
2. Congress has every right to appoint an independent investigator, and, if facts so present, to impeach the president.

Again, VOX and HRC shrilly screaming "the Russians are coming, the Russians are coming", in order to cover up the most inept campaign ever (she lost to Trump, fer Christ's sake!), do not make those fairy tales true.

[Calidissident]

I don't care about Vox or HRC and I'm not saying anyone should uncritically accept what they say or that they're right in their accusations. I'm saying that people seem to be doing the opposite - Democrats don't like trump thus any of their criticisms of trump must be wrong and completely baseless. It's like saying that because breitbart said something about Obama they and anyone saying anything similar must be entirely wrong and to be ignored completely. Vox and their ilk are partisan hacks and they're certainly jumping to desired conclusions on Russia but that doesn't mean you have to be a Democrat to think this looks bad or that the whole situation deserves more independent scrutiny.

[Chip Your Pets]

Democrats don't like trump thus any of their criticisms of trump must be wrong and completely baseless.

Who is making that argument?

My point is that the Democrats were offering the same reasons why Comey should be fired in the past, and are now completely contradicting themselves.

[DenverJ]

Ok. That's fair. I'll confess to "the enemies of Trump are the same enemies my side has always faced, so I'm sympathetic to Trump" accusations. But, seriously, has Trump actually done anything?
HRC is not president, and nothing is getting done in Congress. I'm pretty happy.

[DenverJ]

And, i drunkenly did not answer your point. As far as i can speak in my condition, you're right. I think you're engaging in nonsense, but if enough citizens feel the same way, and they apparently do, then let's have the Congress appoint an independent prosecutor.
I'm with you. I'm with anybody calling for the government to be accountable.

[Chip Your Pets]

Independent prosecutors turn into fishing expeditions rather quickly. Remember the Valerie Plame leak investigation during the GWB administration? The one that resulted in only one prosecution (for lying to investigators, not the actual crime they were supposed to be investigating). while the person who committed the actual crime at the heart of the investigation got off because the Dems liked him.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

Ok. That's fair. I'll confess to "the enemies of Trump are the same enemies my side has always faced, so I'm sympathetic to Trump" accusations. But, seriously, has Trump actually done anything?
HRC is not president, and nothing is getting done in Congress. I'm pretty happy.

^^^ So this.

[Azathoth!!]

Vox and their ilk are partisan hacks and they're certainly jumping to desired conclusions on Russia but that doesn't mean you have to be a Democrat to think this looks bad or that the whole situation deserves more independent scrutiny.

The problem is that there's nothing to scrutinize--and there never has been. There's nothing to look bad.

And there never has been. The Russians didn't 'hack the election' and Trump wasn't colluding with them.

This entire thing is a lie cooked up by the Democrats, using the left as a megaphone.

To think this even can look bad you HAVE to be a Democrat or an imbecile.

[Calidissident]

*comey

[Brian]

That's a really good question: what difference, at this point, do democrats make?

[DenverJ]

Really, Bailey? Really? You've joined the "not prog = Republican" crowd? No sense that maybe "the enemy of my enemy is my ally"? That maybe Trump hasn't actually done shit yet, except to slow the inexorable slide into one party rule and authoritarianism?
You know, i went to glibs because the people i liked went there. I didn't understand their beef. I think i do, now.
If you want to be a "voice for reason", and libertarian, then jumping on the "OMG Trump=Hitler" bandwagon and completely embracing the socialist fascist storyline is probably gonna cost you readers, influence in libertarian circles, legitimacy, and your reader base.
Oh wait, already happened.

[Tony]

What would it take for you to be critical of Trump besides having a (D) next to his name?

[DenverJ]

Starting wars without congressional approval. I criticized the missile attack in Syria. Appointing Sessions as AG, I criticized but realized that almost any Pres would nominate someone like him.
Other than that, what has he actually done? What's his ass as supreme Court judge? I approve. The replacement for Obamacare? If it ever actually passes I'lll be critical as hell. What, specifically, should a libertarian be up in arms over about Trump? Other than what every other POS POTUS would do?
Reason has the Trump derangement syndrome, and the sooner they admit it, the sooner they can fix it.

[DenverJ]

To emphasize: Ron Bailey, what, exactly, has Trump done that makes you want to ally with the fascist left? Not what he's said, not what congressional Republicans have (barely) attempted to do, but which specific actions by Donald Trump since his inauguration qualify him for this level of hatred? And, please, compare those actions, if any, to the actions of his two predecessors.
I doubt you answer this post. Not because you don't read the comments, you obviously do. No, you won't answer because you know that you are wrong. You have swallowed the Kool aid, buddy.

[DenverJ]

Wow i feel stoopit, obviously not the real Ron Bailey.

[Chip Your Pets]

I don't recommend reading the blog post after this one if you don't want to get upset.

[DanO.]

i went to glibs because the people i liked went there

Nice! It's not often that chatters admit to being sheep.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

I went to Teh Glibz 'cos of the Troika of Useful Idiots that seem to have taken over here: Slurpin'Danny, Sparky(timeforanewmeme) and the aptly selfnamed RedCard. .

... and Chapman.

But 2chilli keeps bringing me back ...

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

But 2chilli keeps bringing me back ...

And Andrew Heaton.

Say, where has Remy been lately?

[Red Rocks Baiting n Inciting]

Nice! It's not often that chatters admit to being sheep

Your bitterness for not being able to join the flock is showing, loser.

[DanO.]

OMG

[DOOMco]

wow.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

@ Ron Bailey, if you recall as I do, all those people who left did so because of the stance Reason chose to take after the election -- which was very partisan and fucking ORDINARY. But if anything the people who left were butt hurt about the 'basic bitch' Trump pieces Reason put out, thereby if anyone could be characterized as republican it's the ones who ran. What's left is the partisans and the few of us who still have hope for Reason so don't just fucking spit on us with your inane characterization that many of us don't deserve. You! And the Reason authors! Are the cause of everyone leaving. How dare you fucking shit on us that remained, have some god damn decency.

Signed,
Not a republican, not a democrat; advocate of freedom

[DenverJ]

Wow i feel stoopit, obviously not the real Ron Bailey.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

If that's not the real Ron Bailey than I take back my cutting remarks... commenting from my phone cause I'm on a GD business trip and I'm missing all this meaty dialogue. But the phone thing is unusual for me and really limiting; apologies Ron and screw you name stealing trolls who are to cowardice to act without a mask like a teenage Antifa but you know probably 50+ and fat.

[NebulousFocus]

Userid=21. It's him

[Chip Your Pets]

They're inserting permanent user IDs into the HTML now?

Hmm, that explains some things. Sigh, I have some work to do.

[DanO.]

Dang, did I instigate this lynch mob? Lock your doors, Bailey!

[Chip Your Pets]

Snowden is fallacious as usual. Comey was never more than a bit player in the push to get him back for Espionage Act prosecution.

Not to mention that Ed Snowden inveighing against supposed Russian espionage and intrigue against the US is almost beyond comical. He's Putin's bitch now, has been for years.

Also, how does Twitter "verify" that it's really Snowden composing the tweet when he's in Vlad Putin's custody? He could be lying on the floor of Kremlin guest quarters with a 7.62mm cerebral hemorrhage for the past month and nobody would know.

[Chip Your Pets]

FUN FACT: President Nixon never fired the Director of the FBI

And Hitler never dropped a nuclear bomb on people of a different race.

[Crying Zelda Morning Link]

Partisan politics aside, this firing is a reminder of why I can never be president (in addition to the Chuck E Cheese thing). If I was in the Toddler's position and decided to fire my FBI director, and my adviser said to me "To make sure people know this isn't about the Russian probe, you should mention that the FBI director told you that you weren't under investigation", I would have laughed. "Come on, you really think people are that dumb? It would look so out of place in the letter! No-one would believe it, and I would come off looking desperate." Yet here his followers are, treating that throwaway statement as an exoneration.

George Will's recent piece in the Washington Post, and his hilarious interview on today's Cato daily podcast, just got another data point. To think someone is smart, you need to be able to identify that they're doing something intelligent. Trump is stupid enough for stupid people to think he's smart. That's what it takes to be U.S. presidential material.

[Tony]

"I'm not guilty, I swear" has always been sufficient proof, no? Plus they added "Come on Tucker, it's time to move on from Russia." So, case closed.

[Crying Zelda Morning Link]

And this is independent of whether there actually was something going on with Russia. If they're completely innocent, I still understand why they want this to go away. But to either think or know that you can reinforce the opinion of a significant portion of the population by saying "It wasn't me!" in a comically out-of-place setting? It's beyond my comprehension.

There was an old William Deresiewicz piece in The American Scholar that discussed how he simply couldn't talk to his plumber:

There he was, a short, beefy guy with a goatee and a Red Sox cap and a thick Boston accent, and I suddenly learned that I didn't have the slightest idea what to say to someone like him. So alien was his experience to me, so unguessable his values, so mysterious his very language, that I couldn't succeed in engaging him in a few minutes of small talk before he got down to work. Fourteen years of higher education and a handful of Ivy League [degrees], and there I was, stiff and stupid, struck dumb by my own dumbness. "Ivy retardation," a friend of mine calls this. I could carry on conversations with people from other countries, in other languages, but I couldn't talk to the man who was standing in my own house.

That's how I feel with the populace. Not necessarily condescending (although there's a fair bit of that). But certainly bewilderment.

[Chip Your Pets]

Perhaps the Democrats' inability to come up with any serious evidence for the claims of conspiracy btwn Russia and the Trump campaign, despite 3 months of control of the executive branch followed by leak after leak from Obama holdovers post-inauguration, counts as evidence?

Can you articulate what this conspiracy was even supposed to be? Not the details, just who was supposed to benefit and in what way? The Dems at this point can't answer any of these questions, they're just chanting THEY TOOK UR ELEKSHUN!

[DenverJ]

Tony, I'm glad you're still here. No sarcasm. I always told everyone else "we're getting through to him, I swear!"
How's life been treating you? Good, I hope.

[Africanis]

With mountains of evidence produced so far, it won't be long until Putin and his puppet cockholster Trump is in prison serving 1000 years for stealing the election from Queen Hillary. We need an independent prosecutor to hopefully convict someone of something so we can keep talking about Russia for now. Maybe we can imprison Scooter Libbey again just for the heck of it, the guy is an easy target!

This is a special level of derp that is beyond the pale. I have to say Trump keeps everyone on their toes. He is great for the news business!

[Chip Your Pets]

Elizabeth Warren
?
@SenWarren

We need a real, independent prosecutor who @realDonaldTrump can't fire, Sessions can't intimidate, & Congress can't muzzle. We need it now.
7:12 PM - 9 May 2017

"It"? You mean like a tranny?

[Chip Your Pets]

It can't be fired. It can't be intimidated. It can't be muzzled. And it will never stop hunting Trump.

[DOOMco]

I don't think she and I agree on the word independent.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

She means "independent" like Bernie Sanders means "Independent".

[No Yards Penalty]

''This is a desperate act by a vulnerable, comprised president to avoid accountability.''

We don't care if this is the first act of Henry V. We're leaving.

[Chip Your Pets]

Everything's gonna be all right, Evan McMullins, rockabye.

[DenverJ]

Quote from the other site, from me "I don't know man, I'm high as a kite. But, i think Ron is a good enough author, that if this were his position, he would hide it better. I'm calling troll, and i owe the real Ron Bailey an apology."

[Chip Your Pets]

Did the Russians hack into Ron Bailey's Reason account?

[DenverJ]

Goddamned Ruskies! We should just nuke 'em. End it now!

[XM]

This looks really bad and ill timed, even though Clapper told Chuck Todd that he has not produced ("included in the report") any evidence of Russian collusion and repeated that under oath. He said some things like that he couldn't confirm the sources, that the evidence, "if there was any", didn't reach "evidentiary bar in terms of the level of confidence", and that he didn't know whether Russians and alt right media outlets allied to mislead voters. Blah blah, boring stuff.

Also cyber security experts say the Grizzley steppe report is unreliable and can't tie anything directly to Russia, but, what do they know.

It's sad. Really. Trump acted like a punk and fired his FBI director who was set to address recruits. No warning, no talks, nothing. The "thanks for not prosecuting me but ya still gotta go" letter was BS. All fair criticism. But you know the resistance obviously sees some "constitutional crisis" lost their pants. We're all in the Third Reich because the president fired his FBI director. Gah.

[thomaz tom]

good post

https://goo.gl/zZNIgn
bigo live pc

thanks admin

[hajinobu]

??????O Make 7500 bucks every month? Start doing online computer-based work through our website. I have been working from home for 4 years now and I love it. I don't have a boss standing over my shoulder and I make my own hours. The tips below are very informative and anyone currently working from home or planning to in the future could use this website. ....??????? ?????____BIG.....EARN....MONEY..___???????-

[CE]

If you get McCain and Amash to agree on something, you've really effed up.

[DanO.]

I've collected the salty Republican ham tears and now I'm making soup. I'm going to call it: Sad 'n' Salty Republican Ham Tears Soup. Who wants a bowl?

[gixabec]

I basically profit close to $12k-$14k every month doing an online job. For those of you who are prepared to do easy at home jobs for 3h-5h each day at your house and earn valuable paycheck while doing it?
Then this work opportunity is for you -

[gwenferguson444]

I get paid 99.00 bucks every hour for work at home on my laptop. I never thought I'd be able to do it but my good friend HUe is earning 22.00k /monthly by doing this job and she showed me how. Try it out on following website

...... http://www.Prowage20.com