What exactly would happen if Mueller gets fired?

[lillypaddle]

Lots of discussion regarding will he be or not, but what would happen to the investigation? Would it just quietly fade away? Could Congress appoint someone to continue on?

[exboyfil]

1. I think the state prosecution steps up

I think they have ready to go indictmemt for both a firing and pardons.

[jO456]

3. hopefully

The GOP is already sowing the seeds of misinformation, ie fire him for not the Uranium thing. Our only hope is a Democratic Senate or long shot, House.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

2. What would you do if he gets fired?

That's the real question and I don't only mean you. I would think there would be an uproar from the population. Outrage is what politicians respond to . It only quietly fades if we allow it to. I don't think it will happen, but if it does, we need to be heard loud and clear and demand action and not stop until we get it.

[lillypaddle]

4. Agree that there would be an outcry

I'd be screaming my head off

[murielm99]

8. The republicans in Congress, both houses,

are afraid for their seats. Those up for reelection could lose. Last night showed that.

They can't predict what 45 will do any more than the rest of the world can. If 45 fires Mueller, they will face a bloodbath of an election, even more than what may happen under the current conditions. They would have to act. I don't know what they would do. Would they impeach? Would they invoke the 25th? Is there something they can do that restrains him, but is less drastic?

Stepping up state prosecutions is not enough. It is desirable, but it does not help the Constitutional crisis that would come. Repubbies at the federal level would have to do something, regardless of their futures.

I don't feel sorry for them. They continue to enable him. I feel sorry for those of us who warned against and worked against this madman.

Additionally, we as Democrats would have to stay united. We will be the only hope for saving our democracy. All this nonsense about purity, who is progressive, who is neoliberal, identity politics, would have to be set aside. We will have to be Democrats working to save our Constitution and our democracy.

[Chasstev365]

5. AUX LES BARICADES!

[beachbum bob]

6. if it happens before 2018 elections, republicans will have to defend a clear case of obstruction of

justice and defending what will be a deeply unpopular president trying to become a mini-putin type dictator....all in all, more fuel for the looming democratic tidal wave and democrats retaking congress and most likely launching a fullscale impeachment inquiry into obstruction of just against trump, pence and others


definitely will NOT GO AWAY

[marylandblue]

7. When Nixon fired his Special Counsel

A new special counsel was immediately appointed wbo continued as before. Meanwhile, a judge ruled the firing illegal. It left Nixon in a worse position than before, just as Trump firing Comey did. I think the same thing would happen with Mueller.

[Hortensis]

9. Well, after Rod Rosenstein refused, Trump would continue

down JD levels until he found a Bork who would apply his extremely unethical and illegal order.

Then, because we are a nation of laws, the questions are WHO would take legal action to reign in a rogue president and on what basis, not whether anyone would. Congress or the JD could always rehire Mueller.

As for who first engages the legal system, Mueller could, the Justice Department itself could, Congress should and could (but would they?), same for Trump's cabinet and VP, and others, including citizen groups. It would precipitate a constitutional crisis, which means it would be fast-tracked to the appellate courts and/or SCOTUS. There's a real question of whether Trump even has the authority to fire Mueller, but there are other bases for suits.

One thing is for sure, courts aside, if Trump did fire Mueller, whether the Republican congress removed him, merely slapped his hand with an impeachment without removal, or--worst--refused to act at all, it would play hell for them with the 2018 election. A big lose-lose situation for them no matter what.

In the meantime, various intelligence services in our nation and others would continue the investigation.

[TreasonousBastard]

10. Well, when Nixon fired Cox, the reaction was immense and he pulled back and let Jaworski...

finish the investigation.

Nixon was a hell of a lot smarter than Trump, had accomplished more at the time, and probably trusted more, but none of that helped him. Congress was chomping at the bit to get rid of him, and "trusted more" than Trump did not mean "trusted much at all". When you say "I am not a crook" it usually means you are a crook.

Anyway, Trump does not have even the little good will Nixon had, and I have little doubt it would be the spark that would lead to his almost immediate downfall.

OTOH, if the nation was dumb enough to elect him in the first place, do we have enough brains or integrity left to throw him out?