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[Shard]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/depu...wledges-recuse-russia-probe/story?id=48080253

he senior Justice Department official with ultimate authority over the special counsel's probe of Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 election has privately acknowledged to colleagues that he may have to recuse himself from the matter, which he took charge of only after Attorney General Jeff Sessions' own recusal, sources tell ABC News.

Those private remarks from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein are significant because they reflect the widening nature of the federal probe, which now includes a preliminary inquiry into whether President Donald Trump attempted to obstruct justice when he allegedly tried to curtail the probe and then fired James Comey as FBI director.

Rosenstein, who authored an extensive and publicly-released memorandum recommending Comey's firing, raised the possibility of his recusal during a recent meeting with Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, the Justice Department's new third-in-command, according to sources.

Although Rosenstein appointed a special counsel to lead the federal probe, he still makes the final decisions about resources, personnel and -- if necessary -- any prosecutions.

In the recent meeting with Brand, Rosenstein told her that if he were to recuse himself, she would have to step in and take over those responsibilities. She was sworn-in little more than a month ago.

 

[witchedwiz]

so.. an hot potato that nobody wants to handle?

 

[BoogieWoogie]

Will definitely need to know more about Brand. She doesn't seem like a Trump crony but who knows?

 

[Shard]

so.. an hot potato that nobody wants to handle?

It is more Rod may end up under investigation because of his role in firing Comey.

 

[Vyse The Legend]

Uh, I hope not, cause I trust Rod to protect Mueller's role. Rod's replacement will likely be a Trump crony.

 

[Krakatoa]

so if he recuses himself, can trump then fire mueller?

 

[Permanently A]

If Rod recuses, can Trump pick a stooge to fire Mueller???

 

[hEist]

so if he recuses himself, can trump then fire mueller?

no, it's up to Brand then.

 

[Pastry]

Uh, I hope not, cause I trust Rod to protect Mueller's role. Rod's replacement will likely be a Trump crony.

The next person in line was a Bush appointee and Obama appointed her to some roles also

 

[theCalamity]

You guys need to read the article. It tells you who will take over.

 

[Christian]

The next person in line was a Bush appointee and Obama appointed her to some roles also

She'll be solid.

 

[TheCochese]

We need to have a FAQ about all this, because the same questions are getting asked in all the threads.

Trump could repeal the Special Counsel rule (via EO) and fire Mueller himself.

Trump can order whomever is in charge of the Special Counsel (currently Rosenstein) to fire Mueller.

Neither would stop Congress from re-implementing the Independent Counsel rule to hire Mueller back immediately. It would need to have supermajority in both houses to override the inevitable Trump veto.

Anything else?

 

[Krakatoa]

no, it's up to Brand then.

Uhhm why do I feel this is planned. I feel Trump pressured him to recuse himself, leaving it easy for Brand to fire Mueller

 

[Snwaters]

Will definitely need to know more about Brand. She doesn't seem like a Trump crony but who knows?

The Senate voted 52-46 along party lines on Thursday to confirm Rachel Brand to the No. 3 position at the Justice Department.

Source

Cause for concern I say... Rod was confirmed +90

 

[cartographer]

July 7: "Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand acknowledges she may need to recuse herself."

 

[XMonkey]

Private remarks? He said pretty much the same thing in public testimony last week so this isn't exactly surprising...

 

[Omadahl]

Christ this rabbit hole is deep. I can understand though considering he technically had a hand in firing Comey. I mean that is the direct connection to the obstruction of justice charges and it's not like the next in line would be tied to this circus.

 

[benicillin]

By the time this is over we'll be down to the designated survivor in every branch of our government.

 

[Akuun]

If all these guys keep recusing themselves, they'll eventually get to a Trump stooge one way or another.

 

[Vyse The Legend]

You guys need to read the article. It tells you who will take over.

It does not, however, tell me her political leanings, which was the crux of my post.

Reading up on her now, there is cause for concern.

 

[benicillin]

It does not, however, tell me her political leanings, which was the crux of my post.

Reading up on her now, there is cause for concern.

Why? She predates Trump by years and was appointed by both Bush and Obama, just like Rosenstein.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

It does not, however, tell me her political leanings, which was the crux of my post.

Reading up on her now, there is cause for concern.

Closest I picked up on is that she's very pro corp

 

[TheCochese]

It does not, however, tell me her political leanings, which was the crux of my post.

Reading up on her now, there is cause for concern.

We're getting to a very public, very scrutinized point in this saga. Which means, the shit you do, better have some sound fucking logic and law behind it or your career in the public sector is done. Trump firing her for doing the right thing would set her career back temporarily, but it certainly would not end it. Just saying fuck it and following orders would. She appears to enjoy being back at DOJ, and would probably want to finish her career there. She's only 44, it's not like she is near retirement.

I know this logic won't apply to everyone. But I do think it's why Rosenstein had a shit fit after Trump used his letter, after he was trying to do his job and dance around making up bullshit to appease Trump.

 

[Vagabundo]

By autumn the DOJ janitor may have to recuse himself.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

Shit's getting confusing.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Trump necessitates these moves by continually making inappropriate gestures towards the higher ups at the various national security agencies.

If he went through the proper channels (Comey meetings), allowed the slightest bit of transparency (Flynn, Sessions), or simply allowed everyone to do their jobs unmolested so they could find the nothingburger he assures us totally exists, none of this would be happening.

He continually learns the wrong lesson from these events, somehow he still thinks by flashing anger he can make this go away before anyone digs too deep.

 

[HolySheep]

A way for Rosenstein to keep his job? Recuse himself, leaving the shit-show to Brand.

 

[Justin Bailey]

I'm going to go ahead and preemptively recuse myself from this investigation just in case.

 

[Ithil]

I hope he would find some way to insulate the investigation from being interfered with before doing so.

 

[Skinny Pete]

I expect him to be fired by the end of the day. Trump is losing it by the minute, needs another blood sacrifice.

 

[Tovarisc]

Uhhm why do I feel this is planned. I feel Trump pressured him to recuse himself, leaving it easy for Brand to fire Mueller

I doubt Trump foresaw him throwing Rosenstein under the bus about Comey firing would trigger Hot Rod to put Mueller in place and then pressure Hot Rod to recuse so he could try pressure next in line to fire Mueller.

Next in line should be solid and be even more hands off with Mueller than Hot Rod is.

Rosenstein just has to recuse himself because he is directly tied to obstruction probe so he has conflict.

 

[sc0la]

Did was extremely specific in his memo appointing Mueller as special council. I expect a similar memo if he were to recuse himself specifying who was taking the authorities (whether there is statutory or legal standing to do so I don't know. )

 

[Afrodium]

Trump necessitates these moves by continually making inappropriate gestures towards the higher ups at the various national security agencies.

If he went through the proper channels (Comey meetings), allowed the slightest bit of transparency (Flynn, Sessions), or simply allowed everyone to do their jobs unmolested so they could find the nothingburger he assures us totally exists, none of this would be happening.

He continually learns the wrong lesson from these events, somehow he still thinks by flashing anger he can make this go away before anyone digs too deep.

Trump still hasn't learned that the US government cannot be run like a shady business where the spectre of getting fired makes everyone fall in line and pissing off the man on top is career suicide.

 

[Tovarisc]

https://twitter.com/KenGude/status/875735716088741889

 

[skullmuffins]

https://twitter.com/KenGude/status/875735716088741889

This would make sense. If merely being a witness to obstruction would require you to recuse, if Trump was determined to pressure someone into firing Mueller, each acting AG would have to recuse in turn after he asked them and it would be literally impossible for someone to oversee the special counsel. Perhaps the fact he was sorta-involved in the obstruction because he wrote the memo used to justify the firing complicates things.

 

[jstripes]

July 7: "Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand acknowledges she may need to recuse herself."

It's recusals all the way down.

 

[W-00]

I wonder if this is what Rosenstein's odd announcement regarding not trusting anonymous officials was about.

 

[Tovarisc]

I wonder if this is what Rosenstein's odd announcement regarding not trusting anonymous officials was about.

Some expect major story breaking soon and sourcing being mostly foreign officials so Easy Rod made preemptive strike.

 

[X-Frame]

Some expect major story breaking soon and sourcing being mostly foreign officials so Easy Rod made preemptive strike.

Who was the source for the recent article about Sessions inviting Russian lobbyists to dinner, if I remember that correctly. Was it a Russian source?

 

[Tovarisc]

Who was the source for the recent article about Sessions inviting Russian lobbyists to dinner, if I remember that correctly. Was it a Russian source?

I think it was American lobbyist who had done work for Russians.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Who was the source for the recent article about Sessions inviting Russian lobbyists to dinner, if I remember that correctly. Was it a Russian source?

It was the lobbyist himself (Burt). He's an American citizen, and he offered the information on record.

 

[X-Frame]

I think it was American lobbyist who had done work for Russians.

It was the lobbyist himself (Burt). He's an American citizen, and he offered the information on record.

Ahh, okay thanks for clarifying.

 

[Tovarisc]

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/875763250708832256

 

[Squire]

Will definitely need to know more about Brand. She doesn't seem like a Trump crony but who knows?

She's from the Bush admin. Far more likely she'd just play ball with Mueller.

 

[skullmuffins]

Lawfare: If Rod Rosenstein Recuses: What Happens Next?

 

[Escape Goat]

Betsy DeVos is going to end up heading the investigations at this point.

 

[BobTheFork]

We're going to need another Robert Bork!

 

[Prototype Viktor]

no, it's up to Brand then.

Drumpf having power over a woman has always worked out for him

 

[BrassDragon]

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/875763250708832256

Wait, Ted Cruz has friends?

 

[Veritigo_X]

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/875763250708832256

Ted Cruz spent the entire primary being called Lyin' Ted and hearing he has an ugly wife and that his dad killed JFK. He seems alright with Trump today.