That Crazy Talk About Robert Mueller

New Post Public Reply Private Reply Replies (0) Message Board

Nov 1, 2017 at 2:13 AM 195

Quote:

That Crazy Talk About Robert Mueller

Editorial

]

CreditIllustration by John J. Custer; Photograph by Tom Brenner/The New York Times

By The Editorial Board
Oct. 31, 2017

And then they came for Robert Mueller.

If there were any remaining hope that Republicans would accept the precise, methodical work of this veteran, highly respected, Republican-appointed law enforcement official — the man Newt Gingrich once called a “superb choice to be special counsel” — it has evaporated in a fog of propaganda and delirious conspiracy theories.

In the real world, Mr. Mueller, appointed as special counsel after President Trump fired the F.B.I. director, James Comey, in May, is doing the job he was hired to do — smoke out any and all links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government officials who assaulted American sovereignty in 2016 in an effort to get Mr. Trump elected.

These days, the most serious attacks on American governance are coming not from abroad, but from Mr. Trump’s aides and his allies in the right-wing media and Congress. As ludicrous as these attacks seem, they could yet lead to a constitutional crisis.

Reading the increasingly outlandish theories cooked up by Mr. Trump’s defenders and apologists is like entering an alternate, upside-down universe where Hillary Clinton remains Public Enemy No. 1.

In these irrelevant tales, Mrs. Clinton (or, as Sean Hannity called her on Monday, “President Clinton”) is the real colluder, working stealthily with the Russians to — stay with us here — destroy her own candidacy.

Also, she and Bill Clinton once sold American uranium to the Russians. Also, Robert Mueller failed to fully investigate that sale when he led the F.B.I., so he’s complicit in it, too, not to mention he has ties to Mr. Comey, who also led the F.B.I. Also, some of his investigators donated to Democratic candidates.

There’s no bottom to the delusion on display. At this point, investigators could release videotapes of Vladimir Putin personally handing Mr. Trump a uranium-lined briefcase filled with stolen emails, and the right-wing armada would find a way to blame Mrs. Clinton. (This would be followed, of course, by a congressional investigation to identify who leaked the tapes.)

These efforts at obfuscation and misdirection would be laughable, but they are linked to a very real and dangerous move by Trump allies throughout right-wing media and the government to shut down the Russia investigation for good.

It’s no secret that Mr. Trump has been itching to get rid of Mr. Mueller since soon after his appointment as special counsel in May. Mr. Trump’s advisers have told him that would be a terrible idea and have reportedly talked him out of it more than once. But the calls for such a move are now coming from some of the most influential voices in conservative media, as are other equally bad proposals, like urging that Mr. Mueller resign and that Mr. Trump pardon anyone and everyone caught up in the Russia investigation — including himself.

Mr. Trump would be wise to continue to ignore these loony ideas and restrain his own authoritarian reflexes. The president of the United States, no less than any citizen, lives under the law, not above it; Mr. Mueller’s investigation is the embodiment of that fact . Removing him now, after he has already secured two indictments, including one for Mr. Trump’s former campaign chief, and a guilty plea by a foreign-policy adviser, would send the message that Mr. Trump and his aides are accountable to no one.

Over the last several weeks, a few top Republicans have found the courage to say out loud what a majority of Americans have known for a long time: With his erratic behavior and antidemocratic eruptions, Donald Trump is presenting a profound danger to security of the nation and the stability of the world order. So far, these dissidents have beat their chests in a safe space, giving eloquent speeches on their way out the door.

But it will not be hard for them to turn their words into actions if Mr. Trump gives in to an impulse to fire Mr. Mueller. Do the math: Three Republican senators (looking at you, Mr. McCain, Mr. Corker and Mr. Flake), joining with 48 Democrats, could bring the Senate to a halt until Mr. Mueller was reinstated — no tax cuts, no more judges confirmed.

The scenario in which Mr. Mueller loses his job, or Mr. Trump further abuses his pardon power, is hypothetical — and may it remain so — but if it materializes, it will fall to Congress to defend the foundations of American democracy, the separation of powers and the rule of law.

Newer

Older

Scroll down for more posts ▼

Top 10 Most Recent News Articles

Omio Reveals Top 6 Trends Shaping 2026-2027 Travel

Decoding the Changing Travel Landscape This ain't your grandparents' travel itinerary. The 2026-2027 travel season is already shaping up to be a wild reimagining of what it means to 'get away.' Omio's latest NowNext Travel Report, crafted alongside YouGov, pulls back the curtain on how folks are recalibrating their vacations in light of financial squeezes and climate...

Shareholder Watch: VRNS, DSGR, PSNL Under Scrutiny

Navigating Murky Waters: Legal Scrutiny on Shareholder Deals The financial world ain't short on drama these days, and it looks like Varonis Systems, Distribution Solutions Group, and Personalis are right in the thick of it. Each is facing scrutiny over their recent sale transactions that might not be all they’re cracked up to be. Could these deals be shortchanging...

Travel FOMO Trumps High Costs: Family Drives Demand

Sky-High Travel Costs? No Problem Who'd have thought folks would still be packing their bags with travel costs through the roof? Well, it seems like Americans have their priorities straight—or not, depending on how you look at it. Travel insurance provider Squaremouth reports insured trips are up 12.9% year over year, even with the average trip costing a whopping...

Prepare Denver Sprinkler Systems Before Winter Strikes

Colorado's Unpredictable Weather: Don't Get Caught Cold The leaves turning color might be the signal of fall, but in Colorado, the weather seems to have a mind of its own—sunny one moment, bone-chilling the next. Denver homeowners, it's time to take a hard look at your outdoor sprinkler systems. Why? Because those freezing nights can sneak up faster than you'd think and...

SHOEBOX PureTest Wins 2026 Award for Audiometry Innovation

Breaking New Ground in Hearing Conservation This time, we're looking at SHOEBOX PureTest snagging the 2026 Hearing Technology Innovator Award. It marks yet another feather in their cap, standing tall in the Equipment, Audiometry category. You know, for those of us knee-deep in the stock game—and I mean neck-deep in financial stakes—spotting a company thriving through...

Lunai Bioworks Voluntarily Delists After Equity Snags

Bracing for the Delisting Impact Well, isn't that a familiar tune? Lunai Bioworks Inc., ticking with the symbol NASDAQ:LNAI, is pulling the plug on its Nasdaq listing faster than a kid yanking out a loose tooth. On October 21, 2026, the company's board decided it's cheaper and simpler to step off the dance floor than keep paying for a spot when the music's stopped....

Tairex's AI System Targets Global Healthcare Gaps

AI Meets Human Expertise in Clinical Decision-Making Look, in the labyrinth of healthcare, we’re seeing a revolution with AI stepping in—not to replace the doctor, but to stand alongside them like a trusty assistant. Tairex, from the halls of Tsinghua University's Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR), has thrown its hat into this ring by unveiling their...

MLS Org's Sue Compass to Safeguard Fair Listing Access

Real Estate Clash: MLS vs. Compass Imagine flipping on the TV to see a legal showdown brewing in the real estate world — you've got six heavy-hitter MLSs facing off against Compass, Inc. Yeah, we're talking a legal slugfest here, folks, as these MLSs rally to keep the playing field level for over 120,000 agents across the country. They're not messing around, bringing a...

Arclin's Bold Bet: Expanding Nomex Capacity in Spain

Arclin's Strategic Move for Nomex® Expansion Looks like Arclin’s not messing around. They're throwing some serious cash down in Asturias, Spain, to ramp up production of Nomex®—a material hotter than a blacktop in July with demand surging across aerospace, electric vehicles, and defense sectors. "When we bought the Nomex® business, we committed to investing in its...

Shareholder Deals Under Fire: PRTH, BWIN, CCC Scrutiny

When Deals Leave Shareholders in the Lurch Here's the deal, folks—three companies are under scrutiny for transactions that might leave their shareholders dry while insiders make a pretty penny. Priority Technology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PRTH), Baldwin Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:BWIN), and CCC Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:CCC) are being probed by Halper Sadeh LLC...