Nixon fired the special prosecutor but I think that fact that we’re comparing this to the Saturday Night Massacre should really say it all (if we’re trying to excuse this as having a precedent, think about what that precedent actually is).
As for Clinton
if you can show me that the Justice Department found that Comey abused his office, maybe I’ll say they’re similar, but I don’t think that’s the case (and Clinton even asked him to resign first, whereas Comey heard the news on TV).
If Trump’s trying to pretend firing Comey had nothing to do with the Russian investigation, he’s not doing a very good job of it:
“And in fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story.’”
Of course he’s not outright saying it (and in fairness he says the investigation will continue), but it’s pretty easy to read between the lines here and connect the dots. He wants someone in charge who’ll be more loyal to him. The White House has yet to given any believable explanation as to the firing that would suggest otherwise.
As for whether this actually means there’s incriminating evidence out there on Trump, who’s to say. I’ve always though that while the Russian interference is undeniable, the Trump campaign involvement is a toss up. It could simply be that, whether in the wrong or not, Trump didn’t like Comey investigating him. I have to circle around to John Oliver’s dubbing of this all as “Stupid Watergate.” It’s just too apt. Whether through maliciousness or pure idiocy, Trump is extending his powers in ways that should make everyone at least a little worried.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it was stupid and unethical. I just don’t like the comparison to a Stalinist purge.
Ender, this is not directed at you, in any way personal or fictional. 😃
This response is part my opinion and part fact. No news stories were falsified in it’s creation or dispersion.
With each new administration there are always changes and the possibility of these kind of changes as well. Trump was not extending his powers when he did this. He is the only person that can fire a head of the FBI. Our new Deputy Attorney General was confirmed with a 96 to 4 vote. It was a bipartisan vote across the board. He’s served in both Republican and Democrat administrations. A bunch of people that are crying foul about this action were saying months ago that they wanted it to happen or saying that it should happen. Not every day at the White House is a Constitutional Crisis. The polarization of this country at this point is probably at it’s worst and there really isn’t any logical reason for it (in my opinion).