*CNN (banned) – Page 15

As Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues with his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, Donald Trump appears to be stepping up his resolve to stop him. Trump continues to deny it, yet it’s clear that he and those close to him have discussed it. White House Communications Director Sarah Sanders hinted as much by saying, when asked, that Trump had been advised that he did have the power to fire Robert Mueller.

Trump does not have the power to fire Robert Mueller, however, and only one person – Mueller’s boss, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein – does. It seems likely, however, that Rosenstein would refuse to do so. But saying “no” to the president would set Rosenstein up nicely to be fired. In turn, that would leave a vacancy that Trump could conveniently fill with someone who is willing to fire or at least put more restrictions on Robert Mueller.

Many say that even if Robert Mueller is fired or limited, it won’t impede the Russia investigation, because the people at the Justice Department will continue to do their jobs. If so, Trump could then fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions, replacing him with someone who would not protect the investigation. Trump could also impede the investigation by pardoning key witnesses, or repealing the regulations that establish the office of the special counsel.

Trump ‘s Increasing Ire at Robert Mueller

With every new indication that Robert Mueller may be getting closer to finding damning evidence in the Russia probe, Trump steps up his drive to put an end to the investigation. The New York Times reports that Trump wanted to fire Mueller in December, after erroneous reports that Mueller had tried to subpoena Trump family financial records from Deutsche Bank.

Recently, Trump’s ire toward Robert Mueller has increased with the raid of the home of Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen. (In reality, it was the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and not Robert Mueller, who executed the raid.)

Trump appears to be attempting, in his usual way, to set the scene and influence the opinions of his followers by discrediting Rod Rosenstein and Robert Mueller via tweets such as the following one:

“Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama. Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter). No Collusion, so they go crazy!

Constitutional Crisis

Many Republicans as well as Democrats oppose the idea of having Robert Mueller fired, and say they don’t think that it’s likely.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, tweeted:

“Anyone advising the President — in public or over the airwaves— to fire Bob Mueller does not have the President or the nation’s best interest at heart. Full stop.”

MoveOn.org, an organization that XXXX, stated, ““Trump will create a constitutional crisis if he fires special counsel Robert Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller, or attempts to compromise the investigation by other means.”

MoveOn.org is responding to the possibility of Robert Mueller’s firing by organizing local rallies across the country, prepared to mobilize within 24 hours of the firing, should it occur.

How far will Donald Trump go to stop the investigation of Russian election meddling? With leading figures such as Hatch tweeting about it, and with people around the country already prepared to mobilize in non-violent protest if he does, it’s evident that many Americans feel he’ll start with Robert Mueller, and will stop at nothing.

Speier: Trump Will Go Down if Mueller Is Fired | CNN [2018-04-10]

Ex-DOJ Attorney: Rosenstein Should Have Already Been Fired | Fox News [2018-04-12]

As a strange prelude to Sexual Violence Awareness month (April), Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) apologized for continuing to keep one of her top aides employed for three months, even though she knew he had been accused of sexual abuse. Though she had at first said that she would not be resigning, Elizabeth Esty now says that she will not run for re-election when her term ends.

Even more incongruous than the timing of this revelation is the fact that Elizabeth Esty has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. She is the first female federal legislator during the #MeToo era to step down after a sexual misconduct scandal in her office was discovered.

Elizabeth Esty apologized on Monday to her constituents on Facebook: “Too many women have been harmed by harassment in the workplace. In the terrible situation in my office, I could have and should have done better…To the survivor, I want to express my strongest apology for letting you down. In Congress, and workplaces across the country, we need stronger workplace protections and to provide employees with a platform to raise concerns, address problems, and work to reduce and eliminate such occurrences, in the first place. In my final months in Congress, I will use my power to fight for action and meaningful change.”

One of Elizabeth Esty’s senior aides, Anna Kain, had accused Esty’s former chief of staff, Tony Baker, of sexually harassing her. Kain had dated Baker in 2013. In 2014, both were promoted, and Kain became Baker’s subordinate. During the time that Kain reported to Baker, Kain alleges verbal and physical abuse, including being punched in the back while at work. Kain eventually left Elizabeth Esty’s office for a consulting job.

On an evening in 2016, after a reunion party for former and current Elizabeth Esty staff, the Connecticut post reports that Baker called Anna Kain’s cell phone more than 50 times. During one of the calls, he left a voice message saying, “You better f—–g reply to me or I will f—–g kill you,” reports the Washington Post. This voice mail is what alerted Elizabeth Esty to the Baker’s behavior.

Tony Baker’s behavior and message bring to mind the workplace harassment videos that some people are required to watch when they start a new job. The sometimes cheesy dramatizations of someone leaving a threatening voice message for a co-worker end with instructions to contact the supportive workplace department or person if such a thing happens.

Yet, Elizabeth Esty learned of the phone calls and the threatening message the day after they occurred, and did nothing for months. She waited two months to start an investigation of Baker, and Baker stayed on Elizabeth Esty’s payroll one more month after that. When Baker left, the Washington Post reports, he received severance pay, and a job recommendation.

Though Elizabeth Esty now apologizes for not taking immediate action when she learned of Baker’s harassment and threats, it seems too little too late. It’s not hard to proclaim, “Me Too,” or “I’m with you,” or to wear a black evening gown to an entertainment awards show to demonstrate your support – as long as it’s convenient. Women who have suffered harassment and abuse in the workplace are often afraid to speak up and rock the boat. But when the woman in charge, the woman with the power to do something about it, like Elizabeth Esty, doesn’t act to protect them, “Me Too” doesn’t align her with the victims – it aligns her with the perpetrators.

‘Sex Assault Awareness Month’ Kicks Off Days after Esty Scandal |
WTNH News 8 [2018-04-04]

Dem. Elizabeth Esty Not Seeking Re-election amid Scrutiny |
[2018-04-02]

Category: *CNN (banned)

Will Trump Take Down Robert Mueller?

Trump ‘s Increasing Ire at Robert Mueller

Constitutional Crisis

Et Tu, Elizabeth Esty?