Fallout for Trump's political targeting: Top DOJ appointee to resign, AG Garland announces probe

[robertpaulsen]

Source: Salon

The Justice Department's top national security official, John Demers, is reportedly resigning amid the torrent of revelations surrounding the agency's forceful seizure of phone data from House Democrats during the Trump administration. Demers, a Trump appointee, was the longest-serving official at the Department of Justice from the previous administration.

On Thursday, the New York Times reported that the Trump Justice Department undertook an extensive investigation in 2017 and 2018 into at least a dozen members of the House Intelligence Committee, subpoenaing their computer and phone records from Apple and Microsoft, both of whom were put under a gag order, which prevented the companies from speaking out. According to CNN, the agency demanded metadata on 73 phone numbers and 36 email addresses specifically from Apple.

The probes apparently sought to root out the source of confidential information leaks regarding potential communications between Trump officials and Russia in advance of the 2016 general election. Some have speculated that the probe aimed to snuff out lawmakers who may have fed information to the press regarding Trump-Russia collusion.

The slow trickle of truth surrounding the probe has sparked outrage amongst Democratic lawmakers.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fallout-for-trump-s-political-targeting-top-doj-appointee-to-resign-ag-garland-announces-probe/ar-AAL2bSf?ocid=entnewsntp

[Me.]

1. It's A STart

[PortTack]

2. Yes it is!!

[robertpaulsen]

6. Absolutely!

All *rump appointees need to go! To jail!

[drray23]

3. Anybody know the rules for political appointees regarding resignation/firing?

I mistakenly thought that when a new administration is incoming, they can remove any political appointee they wish to as those serve at the "pleasure of the president".

Are some of these appointments different ?

Do they fall into career appointments ?

If not, why did not the incoming admin just wholesale remove all Trump appointees on day 1?

[marble falls]

5. Wholesale removal before knowledge of the actions they were involved with would have ...

... definitely crimped the investigation.

Some positions are at the pleasure of the President. Other's are not.

Would it be a real good idea for every Administration to clear all positions in the Federal Gov't? Turning every job into a political sinecure, spending moths to fill 1000's of jobs would bad.

[onetexan]

17. Correct. My friend who works for the OMB said transitioning usually requires a few key people

Remain till full transition is completed. A pundit on msnbc mentioned this Con's holdover's resignation is unlikely because of the unfolding spying situation.

[marble falls]

4. It certainly demonstrates the Trump knew he was 'vulnerable' regarding Putin.

[Blue Owl]

7. One domino at a time

[The Roux Comes First]

8. I Guess I Have to Ask What Seems An Obvious Question

That I have not seen before, not that I get around much.

Aside from gory details of Means and Methods that the public might not even care about anyway, what could even make the material in question here sensitive, never mind "confidential" (accompanying drumbeat)?

Anything more than just, "the President said so"?

[H2O Man]

9. Recommended.

Paranoid presidents follow a pattern: first, they begin their abuses of power in the gray area, where it may not be illegal, but is certainly bad enough. From there, they venture into purely illegal activities. As this situation unfolds, we will see that it is worse than what is being reported now.

Good to see you!

[robertpaulsen]

12. Good to see you too!

I am hopeful with the Vance and James investigations intersecting and building to an extended grand jury, the criminal investigations in Georgia where taped phone conversations are admissable evidence, and now this Watergate-on-steroids in the DOJ, we will see just how extensive their criminal behavior was and start to see accountability meted out. Oh, almost forgot the Ukrainian extortion with Rudy, the Inauguration laundering with Ivanka ... we're about to see quite a bit of dirty deeds exposed, hopefully.

[C Moon]

10. I knew when we won our White House back, that some scary stuff was going to be uncovered.

I think there's a lot more there, so hopefully we can hold on to our house and senate in the midterms.

[Stuart G]

15. Yes, I also believe that there is ..."...a lot more there" Guess What? Joe Biden

has seen a enormous amount of ..."a lot more there"...and if he needs help to find..."a lot more there" a very smart & experienced group of people will help. I think a fellow named, "Barack" will help Joe.. Is that correct? Yes, I think so..& some other outstanding people (who also find the current Republican Party & Trump totally repulsive..) will also help...You ain't seen nothing yet...and Joe will do his best to uncover it all ......But, this will take time...Let us be patient and Joe a chance to do his job..

[dianaredwing]

11. Question

Don't political appointees have to take an oath of office, loyalty to the country and the constitution?

If so, that should (not that it does) supercede party loyalty.

and, it not, why the f... not?

Granted, every employer wants loyalty and the president 'needs' it, but corrupted loyalty that goes over the laws of the country should be prosecutable. I understand that it is naive to believe these traitors won't just lie, but in the interest of future administrations, they should understand that their paychecks come from the government, ie the people, and not from the elected man or woman who nominataed them for a government position.

Similar to not following an illegal order in the military, they should not put the 'boss' over the country or the constitution.

[FakeNoose]

13. Don't leave the country Demers

You'll be hearing from us shortly.

[Hekate]

14. The Trump admin was rotten to the core. What chilled me to the bone was watching it unfold...

…from the outset. He hollowed out whole departments (thanks, Rachel). People who damn well knew better aided and abetted everything he did. In 2016 I said to my husband, “Who knew our government could fall so fast? Who knew the foundations were so rotted?”

It’s 2021 now. Gods help us.

Thanks for your post.

[COL Mustard]

16. This Is Worse Than Double Secret Probation

USG subpoenas your records from your phone company, but the phone company CAN'T tell you why. Kafkaesque.

[LudwigPastorius]

18. De-Trumpify/De-Nazify our government now!

It's the only way to insure the health of our Democracy, because those traitorous scumbag Trump supporters WILL try some more shit.