You better not fire Robert Mueller! Firing Mueller would cause a constitutional crises making it easier for impeachment to take place! ...So why haven't you fired Mueller yet?
Watching the "outrage" over the possibility of a Robert Mueller firing in the mainstream media in general and on CNN in particular the past few days, one could be forgiven if the suspicion is aroused that the outrage is really a cover for the frustration that such a convenient firing has not happened and probably will not happen. This not-far-below-the-surface attitude seemed to pervade at CNN on December 20 on the heels of Senator Mark Warner warning (perhaps hoping) about a Mueller firing:
WOLF BLITZER: Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, took to the Senate floor just moments ago to issue a very stark warning about Republican threats against the Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his Russia investigation.
Let's bring in our senior congressional correspondent, Manu Raju.
Manu, so what prompted this truly extraordinary statement by Senator Warner?
MANU RAJU: Well, I just caught up with him after that speech, Wolf, and he said the reason why he delivered this statement was because he's concerned about a coordinated attack that's been launched by groups on the outside, by others in the media, as well by allies of this White House, going after Robert Mueller, and that he believes that potentially there could be some action taken next week when Congress is on recess to either undermine the investigation or fire Robert Mueller. He says that he wanted to make this speech today to raise concerns, put this on lawmakers' radar before they go home for recess. Particularly Republican lawmakers who may not be focusing on this as they've been focusing on their tax bill instead. So Mark Warner just moments ago, Wolf, saying very clearly that he wants Republicans also to speak out if President Trump takes this action and fires Robert Mueller. This is what he said.
Please speak out on the firing that hasn't happened or will ever happen no matter how secretly happy we would be if it does happen.
SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA): I believe it is up to every member of this institution, Republican or Democrat, to make a clear and unambiguous statement that any attempt by this president to remove Special Counsel Mueller from his position or to pardon key witnesses in any effort to shield them from accountability or shut down the investigation would be a gross abuse of power and a flagrant violation of executive branch responsibilities and authorities.
RAJU: Now, earlier this week, Wolf, I did ask Senate intelligence chairman Richard Burr if he shared concerns that Robert Mueller could be fired by this president and he batted that down as speculation. He said, really, the president can't take those actions. Only the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, could fire Robert Mueller. He is not nearly as concerned as Mark Warner is. But clearly, Wolf, Warner trying to get this on Republicans' radar screens as they head home for recess. Warner would not say if he was fired or if President Trump pardons any of the individual Sin the Russia investigation, whether that would be impeachable offense. He did not go that far. He said that this would just be a red line the president would cross and that lawmakers should speak out if he does go that far, Wolf.
Good news, Manu. They won't have to speak out because there won't be a firing no matter how much liberals not so secretly desire it in order to make it easier for them to travel down the impeachment road.
This attitude of supposed outrage (and secret hopefulness) over a Mueller firing that hasn't happened also seemed to pervade the panel on The Lead with Jake Tapper on the heels of Warner's speech:
JAKE TAPPER: That was Democratic Senator Mark Warner of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He's the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He was talking about the growing chorus of irresponsible and reckless voices calling for President Trump to fire special counsel Robert Mueller. He said it was extremely worrying. He said such an action by President Trump to get the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, to fire Bob Mueller would provoke a constitutional crisis. And he was hoping his colleagues would join him in condemning and cautioning the White House not to take any such action. My panel is with me. And, obviously, he's concerned. We have heard rumors and whispers, no proof, and the White House said there are no plans to fire Bob Mueller, but there you hear from Mark Warner, the top Democrat, that he's concerned about it.
JEN PSAKI: Yes, and many, many Democrats and probably Republicans are concerned, too. That is the big buzz on Capitol Hill right now. I would say what he said in the beginning is almost the most important point, which is that there has been an orchestrated campaign by some in the right-wing media, he didn't name names, it was FOX News he was referring to, and others who have tried to just and lay the groundwork for Mueller being fired. Does that mean it's going to happen tomorrow, as was rumored? Maybe not. Does that mean it could happen in a week or two? Sure. And even it could be nine months from now. And part of this is laying the groundwork for, if Democrats possibly retake the House in 2018, what do the politics look like for impeachment and what does the political environment look like? And is there going to be enough of a stable of people who are supporting Trump and supporting the Republicans at that point in time? But what he was trying to do is lay the groundwork and put the marker down before Christmas, which many Democrats have been trying to figure out how to do.
Unfortunately, Grinch Trump probably won't be giving you a Mueller firing for Christmas...or ever. You just don't deserve that impeachment excuse gift especially since the Mueller investigation has found no evidence for a crime that doesn't exist (collusion) and which never happened.
This anticipation by liberals for a firing that most likely won't happen was comically chronicled today by the Los Angeles Times in Protesters stash bullhorns and hot chocolate, just in case Trump fires Mueller:
Organizers have stashed bullhorns in apartments and offices near Manhattan’s Times Square. They’ve stockpiled hot chocolate mix and sleeping bags in Salt Lake City. And they’ve started arranging carpools in Houston.
Across the country, activists are making plans, collecting supplies and raising money to swiftly launch hundreds of street protests if President Trump fires Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel who has been investigating the Trump administration.
No Mueller firing protest is complete without that all important stockpile of hot chocolate mix.
"The last thing we want is to be caught unprepared,” said Elizabeth Beavers, a Washington-based policy manager for Indivisible, one of several liberal groups involved in the protest plans.
"We’re on red alert,” agreed Zac Petkanas, a Democratic consultant working with the organizers.
A vigilant Zac will be standing guard, armed with a shotgun, over that vital hot chocolate mix stockpile.
"We don’t actually want this to happen,” said Shannon Stagman, 33, who has been preparing a New York protest with Empire State Indivisible. “The best-case scenario here is that all of this planning was for naught and we don’t need to hold these events.”
The best case scenario is that nothing happens to their eternal frustration over being deprived of an impeachment issue.
If Mueller is fired before 2 p.m., protesters would gather at 5 p.m. If it happens after 2 p.m., they would start at noon the next day.
Gentlemen, synchronize your watches! .....Oops! What do we do about time zone differences?
As soon as the news breaks, Stagman said, organizers would hold a conference call to plan next steps. Then they’d collect their bullhorns and tell protesters to beeline to Times Square, where they would march about two miles downtown to Union Square.
They’ll have extra signs ready. But they’re still scrounging up lighting in case their rally happens after dark.
What do you scrounge up in case the firing never happens? More hot chocolate?
