It makes me suspicious that all the Republicans love Mueller.

[Honeycombe8]

Mueller has an excellent reputation, that's for sure. There's nothing in his history that I know of that indicates he'd do anything other than an objective and excellent job.

But it gets me nervous and suspicious that all the Republicans are totally in Mueller's camp, support him 100%.

Could it be that there's no downside to doing that, since Mueller simply turns in investigation results to the DOJ, and doesn't actually have the power to DO anything about the results? So he represents maintaining the status quo and is no danger?

I find it hard to believe that the Republicans in Congress are suddenly not in Trump's corner, given what we've seen so far. The nasty tapes about groping women, the making fun of a disabled reporter, the obvious Russian connections that Paul Ryan and others seemingly approved of, the disregard of the chaos in the White House, the repeated ugly attacks on ordinary citizens, the dissing of our allies around the world while linking arms with our enemies, the first trip being to the one country that loaned Trump a lot of money - Saudi Arabia, and all the rest. They have been totally fine w/all that. Now suddenly they totally approve the man who will be investigating Trump?

[JI7]

1. Gingrich is starting to attack him

[Blue_Roses]

3. Gingrich is a worthless human being

and I don't usually say that about anyone I detest. But, I cannot stand that man and to hear him spew his nonsense makes my blood pressure go up.

[Honeycombe8]

28. Heard on Morning Joe that Gingrich is courting favor fr Trump so Gingrich's wife gets ambassadorship

That's what I heard. He's courting favor....his wife is up for an ambassadorship. She won't get it if Gingrich doesn't "help Trump out."

[Iggo]

17. I'm with Nancy Pelosi.

[Blue_Roses]

2. There is no comparison

between Mueller's outstanding character and Donnie-two-scoop's meaness. I think the repubs genuinely do respect Mueller. He was unanimously confirmed by Congress for him to stay an extra two years into Obama's administration.

I would think the repubs would be sick and tired of Twitler by now...

[Trust Buster]

4. I think that Mueller doing the dirty work lets the Republican's in Congress off the hook.

Republican's can continue to work on their agenda without Trump going after them for investigating. Republican's would love to end up with Pence while keeping their hands clean as far as Trump's base is concerned. Republican's will let the Gingrich's of the right slime Mueller. Republican's love them some Mueller as a result of multiple political calculations.

[Cosmocat]

5. The simple reality is he is the last hope

seriously, unless this country wakes up in a REALLY big way and there is a complete blood letting in November of 2018.

He is similar to Comey - for the most part Rs were similarly complimentary of him until he became a political liability for their cult (and as some have alluded too, this will be the case with Mueller, too). But, they are republicans with some degree of darkness in their souls.

But, there is no other hope, we simply have to hold our breathe and pray there is true integrity and courage there.

[Demsrule86]

7. If we get rid of Trump, we still have the GOP in power...even though it now looks like the

election was stolen. We need to win in 18 and 20 in order to stop the GOP...winning the coming elections is our only hope.

[Cosmocat]

9. Absolutely - broad strokes

As it pertains to dealing with 45 and his crew specifically.

But, as I noted, this country needs to WTF up in a BIG way about team R and flush them out of congress/state houses.

[Demsrule86]

14. Yes nothing is more important ...whatever differences those on the left have should be put

aside to stop this GOP cancer. We may not have as good a chance later.

[Cosmocat]

15. IMO - 2018 is the last stand

these assholes are so "emboldened" if they can clear the mid terms without taking a major hit, they will just go full on fascism.

[Demsrule86]

16. We have to get the House or the Senate. and what people don't understand

is if we don't get some state houses...we could see a constitutional convention then all hell would break loose... and our Republic would be destroyed in my opinion.

[Cosmocat]

19. Yep

this thing is a at MUCH worse place than people get.

[Honeycombe8]

29. Wow. I think I get it. We MUST get some add'l states. nt

[Honeycombe8]

37. Schiff said that firing Mueller as Sp. Counsel won't work.

He said that what Congress would do is create an "independent" investigation, and appoint Mueller as the head of it.

An independent investigation is worse for Trump than Special Counsel. Sp. Counsel reports to the DOJ. An independent counsel reports to Congress, and in the interim, is totally free to do what is necessary to complete the investigation. The report is then published (like Ken Starr's report).

I suspect that's why Trump feels the need to try to discredit Mueller. So he's not named as an independent investigator.

The Repubs in Congress have made it clear by their total support of Mueller that they will not go along with discrediting Mueller and may be amenable to appointing him as an independent investigator (tho they didn't say so).

[Demsrule86]

6. Mueller is going to be fine I think. Trump is ballistic and that means something.

I always thought that when there was evidence against Trump, and I believe there is ,the GOP would turn on him.I believe that day has arrived. Look at the memo released by Rosenstein I would bet dollars that Trump wrote that press release...not a hint of lawyerese in it. Also the sanctions vote was very telling...98-2. I do believe Trump will go probably by resignation.

[Cosmocat]

18. Trump is not going to resign

If, god willing it comes to it, the only way we root him out of the Oval Office is going to look a lot like Tony Montana in the final scene of Scarface.

[Demsrule86]

20. He will resign when it is that or impeachment...just like Nixon...he will be pardoned and escape

criminal prosecution.

[Cosmocat]

23. No he won't

First, he is NOT going to get impeached if the Ds don't have full control of both the House and Senate, and by more than just a handful of seats.

So, it isn't happening any earlier than late 2019, and the odds are pretty long - the margin and gerrymandering in the House and the horrible disparity of seats the Ds have to defend in the senate this midterm.

Second, there is nothing about his actions and behavior his entire life that indicates he would resign.

Hell, even if they actually are able to prosecute him and he is found guilty and would have to go to jail, with again would be years from now, he is most likely to go not resign.

[Demsrule86]

25. I don't think the D's need control of both...

If Trump is a criminal and knows he will be prosecuted when he is out of office ...he will strike a deal and resign for a pardon...or the GOP will lose so badly that they will join the Democrats and impeach...(I still say he resigns ultimately) thinking whoever is left standing is better than having Trump in office in 20

[Cosmocat]

26. This all is disconnected from actual reality

there is nothing in either his or the republican's actions, and frankly the voters, that support this contention that he will be impeached.

During the campaign this POS had dozens of moments that would have ended the political career of anyone else - the grab vagina audio in particular, but he kept plowing ahead and once he got the votes to win the nomination the republican party dutifully rolled over and got behind him.

We now have seen over the first half of this year that there are a lot of them in congress, particularly in leadership positions who are just as dirty with Russia as he is. FURTHER, there are a lot people in congress who are just as crazy as he is.

This country saw fit to elect the POS despite him being who and what he is, and the country is yawning while these assholes are steadfastly plowing ahead to blow up our health care system.

He and the Rs have not once during this whole process backed of, and with each incident have doubled down every time. AND, this country has enabled them to do it each time - hell they spent 8 years being hateful, seditious pricks while BHO was in office and the country just gave them more and more power during those 8 years.

This isn't the 1970s and this isn't watergate. This country is full on fucking stupid this country has never seen a party as out of control as the republicans right now. And, the Russia situation isn't isolated to just the Executive Branch, lots of these assholes in congress are dirty on it, too - see Devin Nunes acting a complete jackass, Ryan letting him, Mitch McConnell ...

[Demsrule86]

27. Pure supposition...but if Trump is shown to have committed criminal acts, I believe

the GOP will have no alternative but to impeach him.

[Honeycombe8]

30. That would be the best case scenario. Maybe he can use a medical condition to save face. nt

[Honeycombe8]

38. The Rosenstein memo just means that he is bowing to Trump, still. Doing whatever he has to do ...

to keep his job.

[wishstar]

8. I expect increasing right wing smears against Mueller's team as several are Dems/gave money to Dems

NYTimes has front page article about Mueller's staff- I will be surprised if many Repubs don't try to politicize the investigation to either justify attempt to fire him, or at least to undermine public trust in results, since we know Trump's base will rally round him knowing that some of the prosecutors and investigators are Clinton supporters

"WASHINGTON — Robert S. Mueller III managed in a dozen years as F.B.I. director to stay above the partisan fray, carefully cultivating a rare reputation for independence and fairness. But his appointment as special counsel overseeing the Trump-Russia investigation has thrown him into the middle of the most charged political brawl of his career — especially since his early hires include several prosecutors who have donated to Democratic candidates in the past.

“You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history — led by some very bad and conflicted people!” President Trump wrote on Twitter on Thursday morning. The president’s supporters and conservative news outlets have echoed his message that Mr. Mueller’s investigation is unjustified and its staff biased against Mr. Trump.
....
Mr. Weissmann donated to the Obama campaign in 2008, when he was working for the Jenner & Block law firm. Ms. Rhee represented the Clinton Foundation — alongside the WilmerHale partner Jamie Gorelick, who now represents Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law — and donated to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. Mr. Quarles has made donations to candidates of both parties — but on balance, he has given mostly to Democrats."

[Cosmocat]

11. These fuckers are like a noose around your neck

just squeezing, tighter and tighter and tighter ...

The problem is the country just can't stop indulging this kind of bullshit.

There is ALWAYS some sliver they desperately grasp onto, scream like banshees and the actual issue, as big as it may be, gets totally lost and the non-issue becomes the issue.

It
Just
Never
Stops

[Honeycombe8]

31. I don't know how that would fly, since Trump & Kushner donated to Dems, too. nt

[Honeycombe8]

39. Trump and Kushner ALSO gave $$$ to Democrats. Trump was friends w/the Clintons.

That's one of the things the Repubs didn't like about Trump. They viewed him as a Democrat, playing at being Republican because it was expedient.

Kushner was a Democrat, as I recall, and had voted that way.

[duncang]

10. They are just glad he is there.

A lot of them are probably hoping Mueller comes out with something big soon that can't be ignored. Right now it is motivation for D's to come out and vote. So they are worried about high D turn out. Also if it ended up being r's in the committees who bring donnie down they could lose base votes.

[kentuck]

12. Is that necessarily bad?

That both Parties tend to trust his judgement?

After all, they are working to keep track on the Trump White House. It may be more important for the country than Party?

[beachbum bob]

13. 64% disapproval of trump has a ripple effect...

[onenote]

21. 100%? Not exactly.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/337511-the-memo-trump-allies-turn-fire-on-mueller

[Honeycombe8]

33. I just saw 2 referenced...they are not in Congress.

That's who I was speaking of. The Repubs in Congress who have done NOTHING to stop Trump throughout everything he's done. Suddenly, Paul Ryan and a host of prominent Repubs on the Hill have nothing but glowing things to say about Mueller.

Gingrich's wife is up for an ambassadorship, so he has to "pay" for her getting the job, if he wants her to be seriously considered.

[onenote]

36. It's not "sudden". Members of both parties have praised Mueller from the start.

[tblue37]

22. They would love to ditch Trump and have Pence as president, but they fear Trump' s vindictiveness

And his base, which he would turn against the GOP officials who moved to oust him.

If Mueller collects enough incontrovertible and dirty dirt, Mueller could did them of that turbulent Trump without leaving GOP fingerprints all over the deed.

[Cosmocat]

24. This is partially true, but there is one issue that looms larger

there appear to be a good number in congress, particular in leadership positions who pretty clearly are dirty on Russia, too. In addition, there are absolutely a big portion of those assholes who genuinely believe in him.

Between those as dirty as him and those who are aligned with him, they have more than a big enough of a critical mass to control the whole crew of mindless lunatics, outside of a small portion who might have some light left in their souls, but as such have absolutely not power within their cabal.

[Tiggeroshii]

32. Republicans have always hated trump but have brokered a non aggression pact with him

Allowing him to sign and back the policy they want and they will turn a blind eye to his wrongdoings. Thing is, their support for mueller, an independent prosecutor could allow them to stand by their word by still doing effectively nothing in response to trumps actions and make them look not entirely horrible to their constituency. Also the more trouble trump gets into, no amount of policy victories will be sufficient to keep them aligned with him for long especially as republican congressman start to get caught in the web. The romance has less than a couple months before it completely dissolves.

[Honeycombe8]

34. You mean the romance tween Trump & Congressional Repubs?

If so, I hope you're right. It would be a dream if the country could rid itself of Trump as President before the end of the year.

[Tiggeroshii]

35. Yes

I hope it's sooner honestly, but at least that...