On Monday, June 12, Chris Ruddy, a long time friend of Donald Trump said on the PBS NewsHour that it was clear that the President was considering firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller. In testimony in the Senate Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was asked whether he would fire Mueller.
Why is there suddenly this interest in firing Robert Mueller? Why is it considered necessary for Senators to ask Rosenstein about firing Mueller? Why is Newt Gingrich declaring that all of those working on the investigation into Russian interference are “bad people?” Why is Chris Ruddy saying that Trump is considering firing Mueller?
It is reasonable to think that, given his past actions and his temperament, that Trump would be inclined to fire Mueller… just because. Mueller is an existential threat to Donald Trump and he has consistently acted to eliminate and destroy any threat, existential or otherwise. I believe that Trump will ultimately fire Mueller.
The question then becomes, will Republicans support this? Unfortunately, I think the answer is, “Yes.” Republicans have become too entangled with Trump and Russia to be able to step back and put the best interests of the country first. There are individual Republicans who may be willing to do this, but they will be drowned out as they have been to this point. Impeachment, invoking the emoluments clause of the Constitution, invoking Article Two, Section 1 of the Constitution and removing the President for “unfitness”… all of these depend upon honest and faithful individuals acting in the best interests of the greater good.
I would submit that, as a political group, Republicans are no longer capable of acting in this manner and that it bodes very badly for the United States. How to extract ourselves from this nightmare is an open question and it will take a long time if it can be done at all. Honest and faithful citizens must decide this question and act upon the answer. So, I put it to you, what do you believe is the best path forward?
Submitted by Michael Pfeifer, WCD Member