Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

It’s the corruption, stupid.

A Senator Walker would be an insult to the state and the nation.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

“More of this”, i said to the dog.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Hail to the Hairpiece / Trump Fires Comey

Reader Interactions

245Comments

  2. 2.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    Well the game’s afoot now. Rough ride ahead, I predict.

  7. 7.

    btom89

    Buh-bye, Comey. How ironic after what he did to try help take down Hillary and give it to Trump. Only to have Trump turn around and fire him four months into his administration.

  10. 10.

    clay

    Sheesh. Do we even have to ask “What would Repubs say if Obama fired the guy in charge of investigating him”?

  14. 14.

    Corner Stone

    How is all that kissing and feting Trump gave you after you fucked HRC six ways to Sunday? Fucker.

  15. 15.

    Mike J

    CBS News‏Verified account @CBSNews 6 minutes ago
    “It’s a very unusual situation,” Scott Pelley says. “The FBI director is appointed to a 10-yr. term in order to insulate him from politics.”

  16. 16.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    They even bothered with an explaination? Like I said, this is turning into a wingnut kamkazi run.

  20. 20.

    Xecky Gilchrist

    Curious to see if he gets some sort of payoff for installing the regime in the first place – I wouldn’t count on it, from the king of contract stiffers.

  23. 23.

    eclare

    Fuck. Like everyone else, I despised him, but we’re now really in for it. Fuck.

  24. 24.

    Mike J

    Rob Flaherty‏ @Rob_Flaherty 7 minutes ago
    Trump:

    1. Just retained private counsel
    2. Fired the guy leading the most comprehensive Russia investigation

    nothing to see here

  25. 25.

    satby

    NPR is leading with this. I’m delighted, because the fucker had it coming, and his disgusting sucking up to Trump didn’t save him.
    Now let’s see if the last honorable man goes quietly or has a few things to share with the rest of us.

  26. 26.

    ThresherK

    About a year too late.

    Does Comey lose any benefits or retirement or money from this?

    Has the Newt Gingrich Chair of Rehabbing (sic) My Image already been preppped for Comey in the Beltway press?

  27. 27.

    jl

    @Baud: Actually, I read that Comey improperly discussing the Clinton emails is the purported reason that Sessions recommended the firing. Those emails are powerful magick!

    Also see in news that Graham wants to investigate Trump funding from Russian mob. So, now Trump has to worry about Graham.
    Maybe the Trump scandal will be so spectacular that no one will care about Graham’s boyfriend, so he’s not worrying about blackmail?
    Who knows?

  29. 29.

    dmsilev

    But I never thought the leopard would eat MY face, wails the FBI Director who worked to put the Leopards Eating Everyone’s Faces into power.

  30. 30.

    Davis X. Machina

    Now that Comey’s outside the tent, does the pissing in start in earnest?

  32. 32.

    Ian

    Who will be nominated next? And do you think McConnell will do anything? IIRC it was McConnell throwing a hissy fit that led to the nomination of Comey to begin with.

    My prediction is that McConnell will be just fine with this course of events, but will all of his caucus? It would only take 3 senators pissed off at Trump over firing their waterboy Comey to bring any replacement to a screeching halt.

  34. 34.

    trollhattan

    File under “W” for What have you done for me lately, buster! Flipping an election doesn’t earn you Trump’s loyalty.

    Great, now we’ll have the LEO equivalent to Jeff Sessions running the Eff Bee Eye.

  37. 37.

    MisterForkbeard

    The dumb thing is that Comey SHOULD be fired for how he handled every aspect of the Clinton email investigation. He did a terrible job and dangerously unbalanced the election towards Trump.

    That said, I have absolutely no belief that Trump is firing him because of this. Trump has (in the past) actually thanked Comey for it publicly. But Comey is technically in charge of the FBI investigation into Trump’s russian connections, so…. yeah, stinks to high heaven.

  38. 38.

    hellslittlestangel

    In related news, Trump has ordered the 9th Army to attack from the North.

  40. 40.

    Hkedi

    BWHAAHAHAHAHHHHH!!!!!! Bet Comey is regretting messing with the election now!

  42. 42.

    Betty Cracker

    This is a shrewd move by Bilbo Bigot, AG. Comey stepped on his dick by misrepresenting Abedin’s email activities, providing the opportunity. But it’s not like Trump gives a fuck that Comey slandered Clinton in his recent testimony; the entire Trump campaign was about slandering Clinton.

    No, this is about ending any serious investigation into Trump-Putin. The only silver lining? It’s the ultimate humiliation for Comey, who goddamn well deserves it. But that’s cold comfort considering Trump will probably appoint a deranged shit like Sheriffs Arpaio or Clarke.

  43. 43.

    jl

    My prediction is that in 4 years, either there will no pictures of Trump, or they will be everywhere.
    This is looking like a mess.

  46. 46.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    But her emails – the ultimate version.

  47. 47.

    trollhattan

    @satby:
    He won’t say squat. Happy to be proven wrong, but I just don’t see it. Clinton hatred uber alles.

  50. 50.

    Mingobat f/k/a Karen in GA

    I like how Trump slipped in the part about Comey telling him he’s not under investigation, them added (paraphrasing, obv), “but I still have to fire you.” So normally Trump would only fire Comey if Comey was investigating him?

    Eh. Why do I get the feeling I’m putting more thought into this than Trump did?

  51. 51.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Oh that has to be pure Turmpland it’s so stupid: Comey throwing these investigation for Trump makes Trump look bad, therefor Comey is bad and Trump is the real victim here.

  53. 53.

    satby

    This is too blatantly trying to put a spanner in the works of the FBI investigation. This will piss the career people off. Which could result in some really interesting leaks.

  55. 55.

    Paul W.

    Does anyone know what happens next!? How do we keep the ball on Trump and make sure the new director does not shut down the investigation?

  56. 56.

    Corner Stone

    @Betty Cracker:

    No, this is about ending any serious investigation into Trump-Putin. The only silver lining? It’s the ultimate humiliation for Comey, who goddamn well deserves it.

    Fuck James Comey. Fuck him up his stupid ass.

  57. 57.

    randy khan

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Firing him for his conduct in the Clinton email investigation is chutzpah, to say the least.

    You do kind of have to read that as suggesting that they might take a run at Clinton, which would be stupid but entirely in character (particularly given Trump’s earlier statement that they won’t be prosecuting Clinton, which as usual is worth the air molecules he used to make it).

  60. 60.

    Turgidson

    So they’re going with the “it was improper to discuss the results of the investigation in July 2016” rationale, when we all goddamn well know the real reason is “we’ve asked that sanctimonious asshole nicely several times to stop investigating the Russia fake news. Guess we’ll have to do it the hard way.”

    the CHOOOTSPAH, it burns.

  61. 61.

    MisterForkbeard

    @jl: Graham isn’t going to actually investigate anything. He folds over for Trump at every opportunity.

    @dmsilev: There are times when I really with this site had a reddit-esque “upvote” or “gild” system. This is one of those times.

  62. 62.

    ruckus

    @Betty Cracker:
    My thoughts also. Fucker earned this (btw is this actually allowed?) but with this shitcrowd it of course looks and is about the worst they could do, for themselves and/or the country.

  64. 64.

    Bailey

    Hillary’s email server is like the Warren Commission’s silver bullet.

    Allegedly.

  66. 66.

    satby

    @Major Major Major Major: I’m not delighted by that, but I think it’s a stupid move on Sessions and Trump’s part. They can’t help but overreach, and they just did. The rank and file guys may not have liked Comey, but they really won’t like attempts to suppress an investigation.

  68. 68.

    clay

    @Cheryl Rofer: Trump was furious at Comey’s 2nd announcement, right before the election, exonerating Clinton. I’d bet anything that that’s the “e-mail investigation announcement” that the letter refers to.

  73. 73.

    Betty Cracker

    And me without cable or internet service, goddamnit to hell! Phone only! I’m relying on y’all to keep me informed of notable reactions…

  74. 74.

    lamh36

    @joshrogin 2m2 minutes ago
    More
    [email protected]_JoeManchin says Senate Intel Committee still plans to have Comey testify.

    @joshrogin 6m6 minutes ago
    More
    [email protected]: “I’ve been getting emails from people inside the FBI asking me, ‘Is this true?'” @CNN

  75. 75.

    Oatler.

    Trump’s going to sink the ship unless he finds out who ate those frozen strawberries.

  77. 77.

    Turgidson

    @satby:

    I dunno. Speculation is that an entire New York branch of the Bureau was so stricken with Clinton Derangement Syndrome that Comey felt obligated to send his bullshit letter in order to prevent it from being leaked by rogue agents who wanted to LOCK.HER.UP. So I’m not sure the rank and file will be all that protective of their turf this time.

  78. 78.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Holy shit, OMG, WTF, and I just can’t even.

    Is it at least possible that Comey managed to institutionalise the Trump-Russia investigation sufficiently that it will plough on for a while? Or does the whole thing screech to a halt with his departure?

  80. 80.

    Corner Stone

    @randy khan:

    You do kind of have to read that as suggesting that they might take a run at Clinton, which would be stupid but entirely in characte

    They are absolutely going to go after HRC. It’s plain as day. They have to now. It’s the last great bulwark distraction between them and the Russia investigation. They have to have her in front of someone, testifying about how corrupt she is.

  81. 81.

    The Simp in the Suit

    I don’t understand people here and elsewhere who think that this a karma, etc. This is very simply Trump firing the guy who was heading the investigation of Trump’s Russia ties. This is somewhat taking to Nixon firing Archibald Cox, the guy who was investigated him.

    What am I missing?

  82. 82.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @clay: I think that citing Comey’s actions relative to the emails is a way to throw Democrats off while removing the person who is investigating Trump’s Russia connections. Trump was freaking out on Twitter yesterday and said he was having his lawyer send a certified letter (wow) to Lindsey Graham saying that Trump has no Russia connections. So that’s been bugging him.

  83. 83.

    Lyrebird

    @Cheryl Rofer: And thank you Cheryl, bc the NYT (linked via LGM here) only sources this new director, not the item from the execrable Sessions.

    Could use a few more remonstrations from efgoldman here, the ol’ “it took 2 years to get Nixon outta there” anthem…

  84. 84.

    debbie

    @satby:

    I was listening to NPR while taking my walk. Part of Trump’s justification is that Democrats had been complaining about Comey. As if this termination were done for the Dems. Give me a break.

  86. 86.

    randy khan

    For the thousandth time, I’m thinking of the fable of the frog and the scorpion.

  88. 88.

    Elizabelle

    @sharl: LOL re Jared Kushner.

    Comey richly deserves firing. No sympathy for him.

    In Italy, Barack and Michelle have finished their martinis and are watching to see what happens next. (It’s after midnight here.)

    HOWEVER: no way this should stop the investigation of Trump. That has to happen. Maybe career FBI will spine up.

  91. 91.

    Gator90

    No sympathy for Comey, of course. But the only even conceivably credible Trump/Russia investigation just ended. And the media will, as Driftglass would say, “both sides” the shit out of it. Nothing to see here…

  92. 92.

    Elizabelle

    @satby: House of Cards, starting its tumble.

    And maybe Comey freed up to speak about his findings? Is he muzzled? Maybe not.

    Jeff Sessions does not strike me as a smart man.

  93. 93.

    Turgidson

    Maybe Hair Furor really goes for it and nominates Flynn as the replacement.

  99. 99.

    lamh36

    Is this enough for Republicans to FINALLY say enough is fuq’n enough?

    On MSNBC Pete Williams said this was a surprise to the members of bureau. 11,000 members of the FBI and a good bit of them will be pissed off.

    This goes one or two ways…shit will hit the fan and an open war between FBI and Trump camp…or the FBI crumbles without ever getting the Russian investigation.

    Is this enough for a special prosecutor

  102. 102.

    japa21

    This would not stop any current investigations. I don’t know who the assistant director is, but unlikely he is a Trump toadie. There are more than a couple GOP Senators concerned about the situation that they would probably not vote to approve an obvious lackey. I would expect nothing to change in the immediate future.

    But a comment up above was correct. If this had been a Dem president the GOP would be using it as proof there was something wrong going on.

  103. 103.

    Miss Bianca

    @The Simp in the Suit:

    This is somewhat taking to Nixon firing Archibald Cox, the guy who was investigated him. What am I missing?

    Well, most of us remember how well that turned out for Nixon…

    That karma is a beeyotch, after all.

    ETA: Or what satby said.

  105. 105.

    Bailey

    @The Simp in the Suit:

    I don’t understand people here and elsewhere who think that this a karma, etc. This is very simply Trump firing the guy who was heading the investigation of Trump’s Russia ties. This is somewhat taking to Nixon firing Archibald Cox, the guy who was investigated him.

    What am I missing?

    You aren’t missing anything. This isn’t karma, it’s desperation and anti-democratic.

  106. 106.

    satby

    @Turgidson: The NYC office is not the only branch of the FBI, and they will recognize this move for what it is, an attempt to subvert an investigation.
    Just like Trumps tweets yesterday about Yates were attempted witness intimidation.
    If they feel like they won’t be able to openly continue the investigation, journalists like Farenhold are going to be getting a lot to work with.

  107. 107.

    Bailey

    @japa21:

    This would not stop any current investigations. I don’t know who the assistant director is, but unlikely he is a Trump toadie.

    Unless I’m mistaken, I think Walter Skinner is still Assistant Director of the FBI. That guy’s a straight shooter.

  108. 108.

    lamh36

    Jeffrey Toobin laying it out for CNN…this so that Cheeto can put in a stooge who will do exactly what the Cheeto admin…and the Russian investigation will be put aside in some black box of unsolvable investigations.

  109. 109.

    Elizabelle

    Does Andrea Mitchell have her shocked face on? Can Botox even handle it?

  110. 110.

    Adria McDowell (formerly Lurker Extraordinaire

    If they go after Hillary I think that’s a can of worms they do NOT want to open.

  112. 112.

    Brachiator

    Laura Rozen @lrozen
    Rosenstein letter makes it sound like they are firing Comey for how he handled clinton email investigation announcements. hard to believe

    So, let’s see. Trump always believed that Obama was born in America, and he never thought that the Clinton e-mails were significant. Fake News, baby!

  113. 113.

    Schlemazel

    @satby:
    A lot of those career people are alt-right assholes who will be just fine with this turn of events

  116. 116.

    Elie

    Hooboy! Didn’t seen that one coming…

    Uh-Oh — As much as I hated Comey, this is NOT good… You can just imagine who Trump will select, cant you?

  119. 119.

    Adria McDowell (formerly Lurker Extraordinaire

    I await Auntie Maxine’s reaction. You just KNOW she’ll have something to say…

  123. 123.

    Sanjeevs

    @debbie: Adam Schiff can’t do a thing without the support of the GOP.
    The House and Senate investigations will go nowhere.
    Comey may have been naive at best but he was the last hope left.

  124. 124.

    Turgidson

    @Elizabelle:

    She’s no doubt as happy as she’s been since the election. At long last, a new excuse to wax idiotic about the EMAILS.

  125. 125.

    Mike in NC

    Trump during the campaign casually talked about firing the ‘incompetent’ generals who couldn’t defeat ISIS and replacing him with flunkies who endorsed him. Is that next? This ramps things up. Time for the NSA and CIA to drop their own bombshells on Fat Bastard.

  127. 127.

    satby

    @Schlemazel: ok, so here is where I have to admit I’m related to present and past FBI agents, as well as being former neighbors with some out of the Chicago office. Like most law enforcement, they’re conservative, but the majority consider the alt-right domestic terrorists (they are) and the majority will not like an obvious attempt to subvert an investigation.
    IMHO, based on the ones I know.

  128. 128.

    Brachiator

    @lamh36:

    Is this enough for Republicans to FINALLY say enough is fuq’n enough?

    Oh, hell no. There’s still tax cuts for the rich to pass out.

    On MSNBC Pete Williams said this was a surprise to the members of bureau. 11,000 members of the FBI and a good bit of them will be pissed off

    It used to be that the intelligence agencies had a problem with Trump, but the FBI (or a chunk of it) loved Trump, but despised Clinton. This certainly shakes up that dynamic.

  129. 129.

    Beth in VA

    @The Simp in the Suit: This sounds exactly like Nixon firing Cox. I loved through those interesting times. These interesting times are interesting in their own special, hideous, fascist, kleptocratic ways.

  131. 131.

    Schlemazel

    @lollipopguild:
    Well, I can’t say I feel bad about that. He was a human so I should feel bad but he was so inhuman that I just can’t

  132. 132.

    MisterForkbeard

    @satby: I’m seeing some particulary stupid commentary on it already. Such as “This really emphasizes something neither liberals or conservatives want to talk about: More gun deaths are from suicide than other causes.”

    This is something liberals talk about ALL THE TIME. It’s one reason you want gun control, to keep them away from those will hurt themselves.

  133. 133.

    Kropadope

    @Brachiator:

    Laura Rozen @lrozen
    Rosenstein letter makes it sound like they are firing Comey for how he handled clinton email investigation announcements. hard to believe

    So, let’s see. Trump always believed that Obama was born in America, and he never thought that the Clinton e-mails were significant. Fake News, baby!

    There’s always the possibility he fired Comey for going too easy on Clinton. Sure, Comey was an unprofessional Republican hack. But the Republicans have set the bar so high on hackitude, Trump knows he can do better.

  135. 135.

    Elie

    Ghouliani would be a very bad choice and his combative style would bring down a lot of heat onto the administration — the opposite of what they want I would think. You never know however. This really is spinning into something pretty scary, pushed by obvious desperation by the regime…

  136. 136.

    Turgidson

    The extremely tiny silver lining is that this might motivate the prior leakers to leak more, bigger things, and might encourage more people with key information to do some leaking themselves. It may do no good – the GOP is determined to protect their sad bastard president to the bitter end, so there may be no critical mass of criminal behavior that would change their minds. But I’d like that partisan corruption and cowardice put on the public record for posterity either way.

  137. 137.

    Schlemazel

    @satby:
    Not related to but friends with several agents now and in the past. Anti-Clinton would be too mild, perhaps alt-right is too harsh but even the ones I like as humans are too often incapable of separating their politics from their job. It only takes a handful to throw a wrench into the works. Think “deep throat” but in reverse.

  141. 141.

    randy khan

    @Elie:

    I would guess that certain Senators would warn the Administration off Rudy, as there’s potentially a lot of bad stuff that could come out at a confirmation hearing if he remotely answers the nominee questionnaire accurately.

  142. 142.

    Kathleen

    @satby: Cue NPR to seek economically anxious Trump voters to state how much they love tough guy Trump firing Comey. Media will pee its collective pants with glee with the opportunity to rehas the email “scandal” and blame Hillary for Comey’s demise.

  143. 143.

    satby

    @Schlemazel: There’s 11,000 of them. They swear an oath to the Constitution, not the President. Out of those thousands of agents, there will be some who won’t let an investigation into foreign interference in an election just fade away.

  144. 144.

    Turgidson

    @debbie:

    Nixon’s Republican Party still had some people who put country over party…eventually.

    Do you see anyone in the GOP today who would do that? The only one I’m coming up with is Ben Sasse. And I wouldn’t say I trust him – just that he’s been decidedly less awful than his colleagues so far, which is a low bar, to put it mildly.

  146. 146.

    dogwood

    @debbie:
    Of course he has a microphone, but that isn’t going to change the facts on the ground. There’s a decent chance that he could become Chair of the House committee after the midterms. But even then we have to recognize that the Senate won’t change hands, so the press will cover for guys like Burr and Graham who will slow walk anything, and they’ll paint the House Dems as partisan hacks. This is the reality we live in. Trump isn’t going down. He very well might not be re-elected, but he and his family will leave with billions in their pockets. I admit, I’m surprised that the press is so lackluster about investigating Trump because there is fame and fortune beyond what Woodward and Bernstein amassed in this story. But it is what it is.

  147. 147.

    Ocotillo

    NBC is already going with the both sides angle saying both sides had lost faith in Comey.

  150. 150.

    Elie

    @Kathleen:

    We’ll see — but I think this was a mistake by the regime and is going to be explosive in all kinds of unexpected ways… The crack in this government just got wider and the pus underneath will not be containable. BTW, do you think Comey isn’t going to leave behind a poison pill or two of his own?

  154. 154.

    danielx

    @debbie:

    Don’t be too sure….there’s a much greater concentration of executive power vested in the office of the presidency now than there was then. Not to mention that there were Republican members of congress at the time who were actually possessed of a sense of duty and public service that was stronger than their party allegiance.

    Seems quaint, don’t it?

  155. 155.

    satby

    @Ocotillo: technically, that’s not untrue. They’re just buying time until they can see which way the story will play so they can sing from the same village hymnal.

  156. 156.

    btom89

    @Mingobat f/k/a Karen in GA: I think he was saying that to tell everyone reading that letter that he wasn’t firing him for that reason. But the fact he invoked that denial just makes me think he was firing him for exactly that reason. Or rather that they were investigating almost everyone around Trump and looking to turn his entire administration into a liability for Trump.

  157. 157.

    Sanjeevs

    Sen. Grassley welcomed firing of Comey. GOP is on board. This I not like Nixon. There is no opposition left.

  158. 158.

    Steve in the ATL

    @The Simp in the Suit:

    I don’t understand people here and elsewhere who think that this a karma, etc. This is very simply Trump firing the guy who was heading the investigation of Trump’s Russia ties. This is somewhat taking to Nixon firing Archibald Cox, the guy who was investigated him.

    And soon we will get the trump version of Bush the Elected spending his Christmas Eve pardoning Cap Weinberger and the other traitors who would have been forced to testify about Bush’s treason.

  159. 159.

    mai naem mobile

    I guess Dolt blowing kissues at Comey right after the election meant he got kissed before he got screwed.

  160. 160.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Ocotillo: They’re not wrong, but that’s a pretty spectacularly banal reference. Democrats disliked him because he subverted law and process to attack the Democratic nominee during the election and throw it to Trump. Republicans dislike him because he… hasn’t shut down all the anti-Trump investigations?

    Maybe these two things aren’t equal? >_<

  161. 161.

    Turgidson

    @dogwood:

    They showed signs of a pulse for a little while on this. I’m hoping this shitshow ends up being a catalyst. Sure, they’ll BothSides the actual firing of Comey – and heck, they have a better case than usual this time since Democrats hate his guts – but this looks, smells and quacks like a blatant power grab. The intelligence agency leakers might be motivated to divulge some more nuggets of Hair Furor related insanity, and new leakers who are horrified by this might get in the mix. Hopefully a handful of patriots within the FBI will get in on it too, since they’re the ones who have actually been investigating it.

    Hopefully, anyway. I have no confidence in this coming to pass.

  162. 162.

    Kathleen

    @Gator90: I remember when Nixon fired Cox and what a firestorm that created in the media, who, I know it’s hard to believe, actually expressed outrage over Nixon’s actions.

  163. 163.

    satby

    @Sanjeevs: you go right ahead and curl up into the fetal position. We’ll come wake you up when the bad mans are gone.
    The rest of us have shit to do fighting back.

  164. 164.

    Elie

    Jeff Sessions may be behind this decision but I think its a huge mistake. This is an understaffed and under-informed regime headed by a crazy man who is scared and totally unable to stick to any plan. There are not enough people to keep the lid on this pot and they are surrounded by way too many people who know way too much. I have to think that there must be a fair amount of desperation to force this move and it stinks of fear. Of course we will see, but I think its gonna get real bad here in a minute…

  165. 165.

    debbie

    @satby:

    Ah, thanks. Via WaPo:

    Shortly before Owens’s death, he apparently wrote a chilling message on Facebook: “In the end, it turns out that I’m not strong. I’m a coward, and selfish son of a b‑‑‑‑. I’m sorry.”

    Can’t wait to see how this ends.

  166. 166.

    SatanicPanic

    The more I think about this the more I don’t like it I don’t know if it’s a boot stamping on our faces forever, but it’s deeply weird.

  169. 169.

    Raoul

    Miss Lindsey does not want you to know about his gentleman friend, thank you.

    Fucking hell.

    @LindseyGrahamSC
    Given the recent controversies surrounding the Director, I believe a fresh start will serve the FBI and the nation well.

    And yes, @MisterForkbeard, I do believe he did just ‘fold over’ for Trump. Yeesh, I’m just repulsed by the party-first, trash democracy cravenness. It’s deeply, utterly dispiriting.

  170. 170.

    SgrAstar

    @Beth in VA:

    This sounds exactly like Nixon firing Cox

    …

    Except that it doesn’t. Archibald Cox had an impregnable, unshakeable integrity that was recognized by everyone. Firing Cox infuriated and shocked the entire country. Comey has none of Cox’s gravitas and intellectual chops. Comey is an apparatchik and a tool…his ejection won’t get the analysis it deserves because he is already too compromised and deserves to be fired. Smart but evil move by the preznut’s minions. They saw an opportunity to shut down the Russia investigation, and they took it. UGH.

  173. 173.

    clay

    @Cheryl Rofer: Sure, that’s how they’ll spin it. But I bet Trump has been wanting to fire Comey since he “exonerated” Clinton. I bet that, even more than the Russia thing, is the real reason he’s gone.

  174. 174.

    Elie

    @SgrAstar:

    I am sure that shutting down the investigation was what they intended. We will see what happens next. This administration has not been in control of anything and barely has enough people in place to execute much. They are riven with internal conflict and multiple power centers also. We will see. They are not like Putin who has control of everything — at least not yet by a long shot. Sessions is cunning and evil, but not a stellar intellect. The rest of the team are C+ at best. We’ll see if they can manage what is coming next. Again, for this to “work” they have to quiet everything down pretty quickly and seal them damned leaks — which they haven’t been even close to doing..

  175. 175.

    btom89

    @Betty Cracker: Actually, if I recall correctly, Guiliani has been under investigation for his Russian ties and lobbying activities. That’s why he’s under the radar. It would look very untoward if he happened to be appointed to that role. Also, doesn’t the Director have to be from within the FBI?

  176. 176.

    SiubhanDuinne

    The comments are getting too numerous, too fast, for me to keep up in real time, so apologies if this has already been asked and answered, but — how can this be on the Attorney General’s advice, when he previously recused himself from anything to do with the Russia investigation?

  177. 177.

    Kathleen

    @Elie: For some reason a part of me feels optimistic that some good will come out of this, part of that due to what you suggested – a Comey poison pill. That man may be a hack and a Rethug lover, but something tells me he’s smart enough to cover his own behind based on what he’s uncovered in the investigations.

    There are several positive outcomes that are possible. What I would like to see is a house of cards collapsing so quickly and dramatically that the desperate broadcast media, try as they may to rely on the old both sides Hillary Obama evil something something tropes, will be revealed as the irrelevant hacks they are because they’re incapable of comprehending, reporting and just keeping up with the truth. There are of course exceptions in broadcast media, Joy Ann Reid being one of them, and excellent reporters in print, so I don’t want to paint too broad of a brush.

  179. 179.

    TenguPhule

    And that’s all she wrote.

    I hate when my worst possible scenarios aren’t bad enough.

  180. 180.

    Jeffro

    This now removes any reason for comey loyalists and/or democratic representatives and senators to hold back about what they know now – it is the beginning of the end for Trump

  181. 181.

    Elie

    @SatanicPanic:

    Don’t pay attention to what any of these assholes say in the first 24 hours. What else could he say? Its a terrible and stupid move that throws an intense light on what is going on vis a vis Russia’s influence? He of course would try to diffuse and de-escalate the situation — not further escalate what the regime did by this move.

  182. 182.

    Aleta

    But…but, didn’t Comey just exaggerate what went on with Huma’s computer, which Propublica said (someone here linked it yesterday) was not (as Comey implied) the intentional and careless forwarding of lots of emails for printing, but merely her blackberry moving stuff across devices on its own initiative?

    But Comey must have known or been told that, before last week; so his words would have been just more chum thrown into the water to benefit Trump. If so, he was lying last week to protect Trump or Giulianni or the NY FBI office wasn’t he?

    Then Trump is not turning on him for making an error, as is being implied by the WH explanation to the press, but is removing him in obedience to somebody (Giulianni?) who told him to move Comey out of there now that he’s done putting out more rotten bait fish.

    I don’t think Comey would have said such ignorant stuff on his own — so then he’d be obeying T’s handlers or someone like Giulianni, wouldn’t he?

    If so, then in truth it would not be not Trump protecting himself by firing Comey before Comey talks, but Comey agreeing to protect the Trump-people and now about to be protected for his loyalty. For keeping the legs under their writhing alternative universe. And Trump appears righteous, and confusion accomplished.

    The claim that Trump is running amok without telling anyone is out there too fast for me to believe. If it really surprised his aides they’d be quiet about it for now, I’d think.

    But I have no idea. It’s probably just the Russian mob or the NY one or some other innocent explanation. Anyway, the subject has been changed away from Kushners in China and Ivanka ? Manila.

  183. 183.

    Mnemosyne

    The main thing I have to say to this is:

    Hell is the highest reward that the devil can offer you for being a servant of his. — Billy Sunday

  184. 184.

    randy khan

    @randy khan:

    The one comment I’d have on the Pierce piece is that I just can’t see Christie getting nominated. Trump and Kushner shivved him in November, and you can be sure they would worry that Christie would return the favor.

  186. 186.

    SatanicPanic

    @Elie: I dunno. I mean, we could have all the damning facts in the world out there, but would Republicans do anything about it? I don’t know. I doubt there are enough of them with the integrity to act.

  188. 188.

    Kathleen

    @Jeffro: I agree with you. While there is potential for danger, there is also potential for great opportunity here.

  189. 189.

    Elizabelle

    Love this reader comment at the NY Times re Comey:

    How nauseous is he now?

  191. 191.

    SWMBO

    @SiubhanDuinne: Allegedly this was done because of emails! not Russia. In reading Trump’s letter, he thanks Comey for reassuring him three times that he wasn’t under investigation. Regrettably, he still had to fire him but now he is Sad!

  192. 192.

    amk

    President has pattern of getting rid of lawmen/women who, perhaps, have gotten too close to something? Yates, Manhattan DA Bharara, Comey— West Wing Reports (@WestWingReport) May 9, 2017

  193. 193.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    Whatever else, I can’t argue with the basis for the recommendation – “Comey royally screwed the proverbial pooch in July, and brought it out for another massive screwing in October. You ain’t supposed to do that; you ain’t supposed to slime people while saying they’re not suspected of crimes, and you ain’t supposed to interfere with elections.”

    I did see one case of speculation that Comey may have done it as CYA – Hillary was going to win, the Rs would try to crucify him for “concealing” this information, and there’s fear (so it is said) that they’d try to bring criminal charges.

    True? False? You had some IRS folks, and all evidence suggests they flubbed a few things while trying to do their jobs properly, and they were scared into refusing to testify for fear it could lead to charges. And, after all, you’ve got the news media snoring away when it comes to corruption in the (ab)use of the criminal justice system.

  194. 194.

    Aleta

    This morning one story was Yates and another was the commoners jeering House republicans. The protesting was just getting started, setting an example to follow during the recess.

  197. 197.

    Nicole

    @Aleta: That’s what is itching at me, too. I’m afraid this all part of the plan and Comey will retire somewhere with the nice house Putin buys for him.

  198. 198.

    debbie

    Richard M. Nixon’s Twitter feed has come to life. Among a number of tweets,

    My God, all Mrs. Clinton did was embarass them!

  199. 199.

    TenguPhule

    @Jeffro:

    This now removes any reason for comey loyalists and/or democratic representatives and senators to hold back about what they know now – it is the beginning of the end for Trump

    I want to know what you’re smoking. Alarm bells should be going off now.

  200. 200.

    Elie

    @SatanicPanic:

    Oh I think once some of those Congress critters’ jones get pulled into the wood chipper, they will be willing to sing like canaries. Unlike some of the Trump appointees, their constituents in the states and districts know all about how to get a hold of them and how to make sure they are punished. One of our most valuable resistance activities have been those town halls. Can you imagine a few of them where folks show up and ask Congressman so and so how much money he got from his rumored Russian contact? And that same Congressman is against you having any decent health care and wants to give all this money to rich people? These folks are just gonna get fucked because this White House aint in control of nothing and can’t protect themselves, much less Congressman XYZ from Bip Bap, Georgia. Be patient… These folks are trying to drive two cars going in opposite directions on a one lane road. You don’t practice your control by instigating a crisis like this… Nixon must be shaking his head in disbelief somewhere in hell.

  201. 201.

    HRA

    The letter has the word prosecution as the reason for Comey being fired. That not in it self would not bother if it wasn’t for his rallies and one in particular where he let the crow chant “lock her up”. Many have said here in prior days of how Trump is a devoted narcissist. IOW All the oxygen belongs to him. In the last few days HRC has appeared in public and Obama is making news by winning the Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award.
    I hope I am wrong in my fear for what could now happen.

  202. 202.

    SatanicPanic

    @Elie: I hope so. We definitely need to keep the pressure on these people. Man what weird times we live in

  203. 203.

    tobie

    @Raoul: I hate calling Lindsey Graham “Miss Lindsey.” There are many other ways to go after that weasel without alluding to his alleged sexuality.

    That said, I’ve wondered why in the past ten days he went from screaming that we need to get to the bottom of this Russia story to focusing almost exclusively on leaking and unmasking. He changed his tack and his email that the FBI needs fresh leadership is just one more piece of evidence. He, too, doesn’t want an investigation into Trump’s Russian ties/election shenanigans. Why? It has to be more than loyalty to the GOP.

  205. 205.

    Jeffro

    @Kathleen:

    While there is potential for danger, there is also potential for great opportunity here.

    Amen. I’m not sure people realize, at some point, it was going to come to this: earthquake. How else was the Mango Menace going to be removed from office – nice and slow, a negotiated settlement?

    This is Trump realizing that Comey wasn’t going to play ball and stop the investigations. This is Trump realizing that multiple agencies have the goods on him (and Page, and Manafort, and Sessions, and Kushner, and more). He had to do this – ok, I get that. Now let’s see what happens when the IC leaks and the FBI leaks and Congress leaks what they know.

  206. 206.

    Elie

    @TenguPhule:

    Yes, and if they were marginally competent, the danger would be more extreme. Not saying that there is no danger for us and our democracy, but I also see scads of evidence of incompetence above and beyond what can be associated with a successful dictatorship. These folks can barely pull their pants up without having two legs in one side or not pulling them down all the way before they take a crap.

    I donot want to imply at all that this is something that we should relax about at all. This is horrid, dangerous stuff in very very dangerous times. That said, we are not dealing with particularly smart or competent people and there are (thankfully) way fewer of them in place. Even Putin didn’t move on his biggest take overs for a few years. These jackasses can’t even get to 6 months and they have made a shit ton of enemies without the ability to make them disappear like Putin could.

    Again, I do not want to be talking too much smack… but I wouldn’t give up just yet either…

  207. 207.

    Mnemosyne

    @Aleta:

    Here’s one possible theory that is totally pulled from the air: some people were wondering out loud yesterday how thousands of Hillary’s emails could have gotten onto Huma Abedin’s computer and wondering if it could have been another Russian hack. Only Comey didn’t know it was a hack, and he blew the “evidence” before he was supposed to.

    But now we’re really getting into Le CarrĂŠ territory.

  208. 208.

    Jeffro

    Btw Democratic Senators already appear to be stepping up in calling for an independent prosecutor, and loudly, on all channels. This is what progress looks like.

  209. 209.

    TenguPhule

    Brian Schatz
    ✔ @brianschatz

    We are in a full-fledged constitutional crisis.

    Hawaii takes the lead again.

  210. 210.

    Jeffro

    Schumer: “without a special prosecutor, every American will rightly suspect that the decision to fire #FBIDirector Comey was part of a cover-up”

    SO on point. If Trump were innocent, why would he act the way he has and the way he does? No good explanation there to be found.

  211. 211.

    ? ?? Goku ? ?

    @HRA: What? Are you worried some kind of coup could happen. Trump ordering the arrests of Obama and Clinton? If that happens all hell will break loose

  212. 212.

    satby

    @btom89: well, the Nixon version had to fire more layers of people because his minions wouldn’t fire Cox, but like everything Trump does, this is an incompetent version of it.

  213. 213.

    Jeffro

    Chris Hayes pointing out…if President Hillary Clinton knew Comey was investigating her emails after the inauguration, then fired him, we’d all be chill, right?

  215. 215.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    Things are happening too fast for Tweety. He is sputtering into incoherence. He said Trump has pulled a “Saturday Night Live” massacre. (I’m running about 30 minutes behind on the DVR.)

    Also just said Sally Yates has served “36 or 37 years” in the Justice Department.

  216. 216.

    Elie

    @Jeffro:

    Yep.

    And watch those town halls and demos also….

    Meanwhile, dude has to go forward with his whaaa — tax cuts for the rich campaign? Cutting granny from her health care? Can’t build that wall but are selling visas to rich Chinese? Man. you can’t make this stuff up….

  217. 217.

    Sherparick

    @Corner Stone: It appears to me that this is the preliminary step to indicting Hilary & many of the people who worked with her in the State Department & campaign. I expect a lot of “conspiracy to obstruct justice” charges. The Base will love it. I expect the rest of the country not to be amused.

  218. 218.

    ? ?? Goku ? ?

    @amk: Amash is GOP. Will rest of GOP Congress go along with this? Doubtful. Also, how effective would this commission be? Devil’s in the details

  221. 221.

    ? ?? Goku ? ?

    @amk: I’m just surprised is all. Wouldn’t think a sitting member of the Nazi party would go against Der Furher, even if just for appearances’ sake

  222. 222.

    Elie

    @ Goku :

    Ahhh — maybe. Again, don’t be impatient. There is a widening crack in the regime. Not everyone is gonna cave right away. I can tell you the Congress is filled with delicate snowflakes who are not gonna want their shit sucked up in an obviously increasing shit storm. They will all find different ways to avoid, but this cow is way out of the barn and down the pasture… Its just how many get out and as we know, this regime doesn’t have enough people or talent to do this shit right now…

  223. 223.

    Elie

    @Sherparick:

    No way, man. Their own asses are on fire. They do not have anywhere near the consolidation of power to even think about that sort of thing. That would be tantamount to a hot civil war in the streets. Again, these folks ARE pretty stupid — but I don’t think yet THAT stupid.

  224. 224.

    Archon

    Looking forward to the made for TV movie on the past 18 months of Comey’s life coming out…

  225. 225.

    Jeffro

    @Elie: Half the GOP are in this to some extent…either they took some Russian $$$ for their campaigns (through those shell corporations that were being talked about yesterday in the Yates hearing) or they found out more than they wanted to know about how Russia owns Trumpov.

    That’s why they have been looking the other way SO. HARD.

    Now Comey has come up and he’s not stopping the FBI counterintelligence investigation, no matter where it leads. They already have Page, Manafort, Stone, Kushner, and more in their crosshairs. There’s no way to survive that, so this is the last desperate strike to derail it.

    Let the leaking…let the Dem unity in calling for a special prosecutor…let the beginning of the end…begin!

  226. 226.

    Elie

    @Jeffro:

    This is not going to be a fast or straight path necessarily but I believe it was a huge mistake for this regime. They are now on a path that flies them into major storms. Imagine what the nomination hearings for any replacement will be like? And while Comey found out about his firing while giving a talk in LA, I can’t imagine that he will just do silently — this man with such a self awareness of his righteousness, being fired like some dumbass? Of course, they will confiscate his access to IT etc but he may have already left a poison pill or two in anticipation of such an eventuality.

    While Putin could do more to help Trump before the election, not clear what he can do to help now and this administration is chaotic and troubled as we all know… Instead of settling things down post their victory of sorts in passing AHCA, they are going to have to be defending this move, finding a replacement, undergoing hearings on his replacement, fighting off stronger calls for a special prosecutor and dealing with leaks and leaks and leaks along with unfavorable news coverage — and let us not forget those town halls with the gazillion people who will be losing health care coverage…

  227. 227.

    Kathleen

    @Jeffro: What’s critical are at least a few brave, intelligent reporters on TV who report facts and provide context (ha ha). Toobin on CNN did a great job today. I know Joy Reid will push back. We need powerful voices to cut through the white noise (not metaphorical – actual real live white bobblehead pundit noise). That I’m less optimistic about.

  228. 228.

    Lizzy L

    Josh Marshall at TPM:

    In criminal trials there are certain actions defendants can take from which judges will tell juries they can infer guilt. In a political context, this is one of those moments. We are now hearing word from White House officials that the White House is stunned at the backlash at Comey’s firing. Didn’t Democrats think he was doing a bad job? We’re even hearing commentators speculate that maybe this may have been a huge miscalculation. The White House didn’t realize how big a deal this was. In the final analysis I think this will be judged a major miscalculation – just not in the sense they mean. Frankly, no one is that naive. It doesn’t wash.

    There is only one reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from the decision to fire Comey: that there is grave wrongdoing at the center of the Russia scandal and that it implicates the President. As I write this, I have a difficult time believing that last sentence myself. But sometimes you have to step back from your assumptions and simply look at what the available evidence is telling you. It’s speaking clearly: the only reasonable explanation is that the President has something immense to hide and needs someone in charge of the FBI who he believes is loyal. Like Jeff Sessions. Like Rod Rosenstein.

    This is a very dark and perilous moment.

  229. 229.

    Elie

    @Lizzy L:

    To add specific questions per WAPO Jennifer Rubin column :

    •

    If Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, how and why did he make the recommendation to fire Comey?

    •Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein laid out a convincing case as to why Comey acted improperly and unfairly to Clinton last July. However, Trump thought Comey should have prosecuted her, so why would Trump now object that Comey had been unfair to his nemesis?

    •How is Trump to select the person who will be investigating whether his campaign colluded with Russia during the campaign without invalidating the entire process?

    •When was the decision to fire Comey made: before or after this week’s testimony?

    •Will Comey be able to preserve evidence he collected so as to defuse suspicion this is a giant coverup?

    •Will Comey testify about the status of his investigation as of Tuesday?

    •Will the demands for a special prosecutor now become too loud to ignore?

    •Will Comey, once fired, feel free to reveal information about the Russia investigation? If so, why would Trump risk firing him now?

    •Will Republicans snap out of their partisan stupor to demand answers about Comey and insist on a replacement who is above reproach?

    •Will the administration — which has now fired a national security adviser and an FBI chief and has been plagued by conflicts of interest and infighting — take on the aura of complete chaos and instability, impairing the GOP’s agenda and America’s international standing?

  231. 231.

    TenguPhule

    @Elie:

    They do not have anywhere near the consolidation of power to even think about that sort of thing. That would be tantamount to a hot civil war in the streets.

    I’m afraid you seriously overestimate the willpower and competence of the American public. rioting would be all local, nothing that seriously endangers the Trumps and the GOP Congress. And it would be put down by the police with National Guard support at most. Organized force beats unorganized every time.

  232. 232.

    Elie

    @TenguPhule:

    Why do you bother to even comment? When are you just gonna skip the border or roll into a ball in a corner somewhere? There is never any hope, any sliver of any light in your observations. People cannot save themselves with the world view you have. What is your story, man?

  233. 233.

    Elie

    @Lizzy L:

    To comment specifically on your comment and @Cheryl Rofer:

    Yes — the shit is hitting the fan. Outcomes are unclear and on what time frame, but the whole thing is in motion. Its appalling but again, given what we have seen of their incompetence, not surprising that they are surprised. Whether they can stay afloat now or not, just think of the first major disaster or emergency that they confront? — a team used to making up their own reality, their own facts and outcomes. Truly, these are people to whom you could set fire and they would wonder where the smoke was coming from….

  236. 236.

    Aleta

    The only other time this has happened, they are saying, was when Bill Clinton fired Sessions.
    The devil’s on the loose.

    (Better run through the jungle.)

  237. 237.

    sharl

    Yowsa – historian and Nixon scholar Rick Perlstein just noted that this is an appropriate situation for initiating impeachment proceedings, and to show justification put up a You-Tube of former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (D-TX, RIP) speaking in committee on Nixon’s 1974 impeachment proceedings in the House.

    I looked for signs he was kidding, but upon further reflection, I don’t think Perlstein tends to joke around on topics like this.

  238. 238.

    hugely

    @Turgidson: I still dont know why people havent asked if the FBI in NYC has been comprised by the Russians as well. Who were these agents that were threatening to do what? to whom? and where do they work? CI?

  239. 239.

    Elie

    @Aleta:

    Child, we had all better put on our glitter shoes, cause we are not in Kansas anymore. Comparisons to Watergate or other situations just don’t fit. Things are gonna get pretty exciting is my thought….Better fire up that balloon and call those flying monkeys…

  240. 240.

    sharl

    If the name Huckabee is involved, you know it has to be good!

    Tom Wright‏ @thomaswright08

    On Fox, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, deputy WH press secretary says time to let Russia investigation go.

    {Seriously, I wonder if she pulled this out of her ass of her own volition, or whether she got instructions from on-high to deliver this message.}

  241. 241.

    TenguPhule

    @Elie: I’m puncturing your feel good “too good to be true” expectations. Think ahead, plan for the worst, do not count on the knights of Ni on the shining white horses to save you.

    There are no good options here. The trick is trying to find the least bad ones.

  242. 242.

    Elie

    @TenguPhule:

    I don’t want you in that role — to puncture my “too good to be true” expectations. Why is that your responsibility? Without a doubt we are not in an ideal situation with clear good options. How do people motivate themselves to fight with your negative appraisal? Nope — that is pure bullshit. You think what you think, which is your right. But don’t come hustling after me to be more “realistic” or rather pessimistic in plans for action and I also won’t admonish your overwhelming pessimism.

  243. 243.

    No One You Know

    @TenguPhule: Why is it important to you to try to change how other people feel?

    And what makes you think anyone would grant you that power?

  244. 244.

    Ian

    @Ocotillo:
    It is time for a Democratic FBI director. Much like the sec of defense, the repubs have claimed it for too long on the false narrative that they ‘do it better’.

  245. 245.

    Ian

    @SiubhanDuinne:
    Someone has to be able to hold him to his recusal claim.

    The people with that power approved of him by a larger margin than they did Betsy Devos.

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