Monday Night Massacre

[Dill]

This follows up recent threads posted by Dino and Pat over the most current scandal/crisis of the not-yet-two-week- old Trump presidency. The firing of an acting attorney general amidst the general confusion of an unconstitutional Muslim ban deserves its own thread.  I am old enough to remember Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre." This does not rise to that level--yet--but it is amazing, unprecedented and chaotic--the three words which journalists will be wearing out over the next few months as the extent of incompetence becomes plain.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/us/politics/trump-immigration-ban-memo.html?_r=0
President Trump fired his acting attorney general on Monday after she defiantly refused to defend his immigration executive order, accusing the Democratic holdover of trying to obstruct his agenda for political reasons.

Taking action in an escalating crisis for his 10-day-old administration, Mr. Trump declared that Sally Q. Yates had “betrayed” the administration. . . .

The extraordinary legal standoff capped a tumultuous day in which the White House confronted an outpouring of dissent over Mr. Trump’s temporary ban on entry visas for people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, went so far as to warn State Department officials that they should leave their jobs if they did not agree with Mr. Trump’s agenda, after State Department officials circulated a so-called dissent memo on the order.

Over the weekend, four federal judges temporarily blocked part of the executive order, prohibiting the government from sending people back to their home countries.


Looks like the all important dissent channel at State will be shut down as well. This after Trump has installed Bannon on the NSC and initially dumped the head of the CIA.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/29/politics/susan-rice-steve-bannon/

President Donald Trump further reorganized the National Security Council on Monday after he came under sharp criticism for ousting the country's most senior intelligence and military officials as regular members of the Principals Committee -- and installing one of his top political advisers on the key panel.

Former acting CIA chief Michael Morell on Monday sharply criticized the move to add Bannon to the group while limiting the involvement of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and DNI, calling it "unprecedented" in an appearance on "CBS This Morning."

[Dill]

So hard to keep up!!

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-replaces-acting-director-immigration-enforcement-n714491

President Donald Trump replaced the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday night, shortly after he fired the acting attorney general, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.

Unlike the firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, the replacement of Acting ICE Director Daniel Ragsdale came with no explanation.

The language used to describe the Yates firing is also surprising.

Yates "has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States," the White House said in a statement, adding: "Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration."

[Vas Deferens]

(01-31-2017, 01:14 AM)Dill Wrote: So hard to keep up!!

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-replaces-acting-director-immigration-enforcement-n714491

President Donald Trump replaced the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday night, shortly after he fired the acting attorney general, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.

Unlike the firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, the replacement of Acting ICE Director Daniel Ragsdale came with no explanation.

The language used to describe the Yates firing is also surprising.

Yates "has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States," the White House said in a statement, adding: "Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration."

Sounds like top down language from someone weakiest on adjectives.

[Dill]

(01-31-2017, 01:25 AM)Vas Deferens Wrote: Sounds like top down language from someone weakiest on adjectives.

The justice department is supposed to be independent of the president, to represent the American people and uphold the Constitution, not to have his back on every executive order, nor to be "strong" or "weak" on a policy.

Fascinating that Trump thinks a challenge to the constitutionality of his order was a "betrayal."  How does he understand the office of AG as a function of government?

[Vas Deferens]

(01-31-2017, 01:32 AM)Dill Wrote: How does he understand the office of AG as a function of government?

He doesntiest

[xxlt]

(01-31-2017, 12:53 AM)Dill Wrote: This follows up recent threads posted by Dino and Pat over the most current scandal/crisis of the not-yet-two-week- old Trump presidency. The firing of an acting attorney general amidst the general confusion of an unconstitutional Muslim ban deserves its own thread.  I am old enough to remember Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre." This does not rise to that level--yet--but it is amazing, unprecedented and chaotic--the three words which journalists will be wearing out over the next few months as the extent of incompetence becomes plain.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/us/politics/trump-immigration-ban-memo.html?_r=0
President Trump fired his acting attorney general on Monday after she defiantly refused to defend his immigration executive order, accusing the Democratic holdover of trying to obstruct his agenda for political reasons.

Taking action in an escalating crisis for his 10-day-old administration, Mr. Trump declared that Sally Q. Yates had “betrayed” the administration. . . .

The extraordinary legal standoff capped a tumultuous day in which the White House confronted an outpouring of dissent over Mr. Trump’s temporary ban on entry visas for people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, went so far as to warn State Department officials that they should leave their jobs if they did not agree with Mr. Trump’s agenda, after State Department officials circulated a so-called dissent memo on the order.

Over the weekend, four federal judges temporarily blocked part of the executive order, prohibiting the government from sending people back to their home countries.


Looks like the all important dissent channel at State will be shut down as well. This after Trump has installed Bannon on the NSC and initially dumped the head of the CIA.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/29/politics/susan-rice-steve-bannon/

President Donald Trump further reorganized the National Security Council on Monday after he came under sharp criticism for ousting the country's most senior intelligence and military officials as regular members of the Principals Committee -- and installing one of his top political advisers on the key panel.

Former acting CIA chief Michael Morell on Monday sharply criticized the move to add Bannon to the group while limiting the involvement of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and DNI, calling it "unprecedented" in an appearance on "CBS This Morning."

Fearless prediction: the ban is found to be unconstitutional, and after firing a string of lawyers who acknowledge this Trump sends some who lose on appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. More quit or are fired, and finally the Supremes rule against Trump. When that happens, he signs an Executive Order firing the Supreme Court. He reads it to his Press Secretary, the only person allowed in press conferences now, and holds it up proudly for the official state news camera man to film him with that same smug, "Look, I signed my own name all by myself!" look on his face. And that's when they start impeachment proceedings and remove him from office. Trump loyalists call it a coup and threaten to leave America because it was just starting to get great again, and then they stopped him. Sadly, they do not make good on their threats.

[GMDino]

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/watch-jeff-sessions-grills-sally-yates-on-saying-no-to-the-president-when-she-was-obamas-nominee/#.WJBsnW-pCFQ.twitter

Quote:WATCH: Jeff Sessions grills Sally Yates on saying no to the president when she was Obama’s nominee

In her 2015 confirmation hearing, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) demanded to know if Sally Yates would be confident enough to stand up to the president of the United States. At the time the president happened to be Barack Obama, but when given the opportunity, Yates kept her promise and was promptly fired.



“You have to watch out because people will be asking you to do things and you need to say no. You think the Attorney General has the responsibility to say no to the President if he asks for something that’s improper?” Sessions asked.


(READ MORE: Carl Bernstein: Trump’s firing of Yates has created ‘chaos’ and ‘undermined his legitimacy’)


“A lot of people have defended the [Loretta] Lynch nomination, for example, by saying ‘well, he appoints somebody who’s going to execute his views, what’s wrong with that?'” Sessions asked, referring to Obama’s Attorney General nominee. “But if the views the 
President wants to execute are unlawful, should the Attorney General or the Deputy Attorney General say no?”


Yates explained to Sessions: “Senator, I believe the Attorney General or the Deputy Attorney General has an obligation to follow the law and the Constitution and to give their independent legal advice to the President.”

Yates was serving as the Acting Attorney General until President Donald Trump fired her after she told the Justice Department not to defend the anti-immigration executive order. Yates also noted in her statement that she believed the order barring Muslims from entering the U.S. was illegal.

In a statement from the White House, Yates was called “weak” twice in one sentence and chastised for being an Obama appointee. Her replacement was also an Obama hire.

Watch the full video below:

[Belsnickel]

I'm going to be the one to come in here and say it had to happen, and it would have happened if it had been Obama and a Bush appointee had done this. When Yates made her statement, she was going to be fired. She knew it, the whole world knew it. What I think was too far was the White House statement afterwards. That was uncalled for and shows the pettiness that the administration is going to engage in.

I don't know much about the ICE director situation, so I can't comment on that. But another Obama appointee in a position where he was likely to cause a ruckus.

I don't like what happened, but there are some other news items from yesterday that are going to have longer lasting effects. Though the Yates firing could cause some waves down the road. Her martyrdom is going to make her a big figure in politics.

[Vas Deferens]

His voter fraud expert was registered to vote in 3 states... Looking forward to seeing his fat white head roll down the street.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_VOTER_FRAUD_PHILLIPS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-01-30-18-55-46

[djam]

(01-31-2017, 10:52 AM)Vas Deferens Wrote: His voter fraud expert was registered to vote in 3 states...  Looking forward to seeing his fat white head roll down the street.  

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_VOTER_FRAUD_PHILLIPS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-01-30-18-55-46

Which is all the more reason we need voter ID laws. Both parties commit voter fraud in every single election. We just need to accept it and do something about it. 

[Vas Deferens]

(01-31-2017, 11:38 AM)djam Wrote: Which is all the more reason we need voter ID laws. Both parties commit voter fraud in every single election. We just need to accept it and do something about it. 

Nice back step. You mean like voter suppression? That seems like the only coordinated fraud of the American public.

And I thought I read on breitbart that national ID's would lead to a bunch of FEMA coffins or something... or is that no longer the case because daddy's a white guy?

[*bfine32*]

He sure is mean

[GMDino]

(01-31-2017, 11:47 AM)bfine32 Wrote: He sure is mean

Who?

[Dill]

(01-31-2017, 11:43 AM)Vas Deferens Wrote: Nice back step. You mean like voter suppression?   That seems like the only coordinated fraud of the American public.  

The notion that Democrats coordinate millions of illegal voters who could be stopped by IDs just won't die.

[djam]

(01-31-2017, 11:43 AM)Vas Deferens Wrote: Nice back step. You mean like voter suppression?   That seems like the only coordinated fraud of the American public.  

And I thought I read on breitbart that national ID's would lead to a bunch of FEMA coffins or something...  or is that no longer the case because daddy's a white guy?

Lol, go fishy. Thanks for taking the bait so easily lol

[Vas Deferens]

(01-31-2017, 11:51 AM)Dill Wrote: The notion that Democrats coordinate millions of illegal voters who could be stopped by IDs just won't die.

Shiny dangling keys being shaken above the heads of under educated racists.

It's just too easy.

[Dill]

(01-31-2017, 10:46 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I'm going to be the one to come in here and say it had to happen, and it would have happened if it had been Obama and a Bush appointee had done this. When Yates made her statement, she was going to be fired. She knew it, the whole world knew it. What I think was too far was the White House statement afterwards. That was uncalled for and shows the pettiness that the administration is going to engage in.

I don't know much about the ICE director situation, so I can't comment on that. But another Obama appointee in a position where he was likely to cause a ruckus.

I don't like what happened, but there are some other news items from yesterday that are going to have longer lasting effects. Though the Yates firing could cause some waves down the road. Her martyrdom is going to make her a big figure in politics.

The most disturbing aspect of this is Trumps presumption that the job of the AG is to be "loyal" and "strong" on his polices. The AG is supposed to represent we the people, not Trump. Will Yates' replacement be "loyal" to Trump instead?

By week's end there will be another unprecedented Trump scandal, maybe foreign policy this time, and the media will move on to the new problem, but for those working in the DOJ and throughout the executive, this won't be soon forgotten. They are all working for a vindictive incompetent now.

As I said last week, Trump's behavior will freeze the executive branch before long. That has never happened before.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(01-31-2017, 10:46 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I'm going to be the one to come in here and say it had to happen, and it would have happened if it had been Obama and a Bush appointee had done this. When Yates made her statement, she was going to be fired. She knew it, the whole world knew it. What I think was too far was the White House statement afterwards. That was uncalled for and shows the pettiness that the administration is going to engage in.

I don't know much about the ICE director situation, so I can't comment on that. But another Obama appointee in a position where he was likely to cause a ruckus.

I don't like what happened, but there are some other news items from yesterday that are going to have longer lasting effects. Though the Yates firing could cause some waves down the road. Her martyrdom is going to make her a big figure in politics.

Which was exactly why she did it in the first place.  There are aspects of the ban that are questionable, such as the restrictions on green card holders or previously approved work visas.  What is certainly not unconstitutional is the ban on travel by people who do not meet those criteria.  There is a wealth of precedent for this kind of action by the POTUS, one Obama availed himself of, albeit not at the same scope.

What Yates did was play politics in a job that's supposed to be about the law.  In essence she pulled a Mosby.  In no way was her statement accurate and in essence what she said was, "I don't like this order (or at least I know you don't) so I'm going to score political points by saying I'm not going to defend it".  She is on quicksand legally speaking, she has no firm footing on this issue beyond the portions of the EO mentioned above.  

[djam]

(01-31-2017, 11:51 AM)Dill Wrote: The notion that Democrats coordinate millions of illegal voters who could be stopped by IDs just won't die.

I never singled out democrats. I clearly said both sides do it, because they do lol. 

[*bfine32*]

I remember folks hated when Kim Davis did not do her job. Hell I think she got locked up.