Rosenstein Suggested He Secretly Record Trump and Discussed 25th Amendment

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — The deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, suggested last year that he secretly record President Trump in the White House to expose the chaos consuming the administration, and he discussed recruiting cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Mr. Trump from office for being unfit.

Mr. Rosenstein made these suggestions in the spring of 2017 when Mr. Trump’s firing of James B. Comey as F.B.I. director plunged the White House into turmoil. Over the ensuing days, the president divulged classified intelligence to Russians in the Oval Office, and revelations emerged that Mr. Trump had asked Mr. Comey to pledge loyalty and end an investigation into a senior aide.

Mr. Rosenstein was just two weeks into his job. He had begun overseeing the Russia investigation and played a key role in the president’s dismissal of Mr. Comey by writing a memo critical of his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. But Mr. Rosenstein was caught off guard when Mr. Trump cited the memo in the firing, and he began telling people that he feared he had been used.

Mr. Rosenstein made the remarks about secretly recording Mr. Trump and about the 25th Amendment in meetings and conversations with other Justice Department and F.B.I. officials. Several people described the episodes, insisting on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The people were briefed either on the events themselves or on memos written by F.B.I. officials, including Andrew G. McCabe, then the acting bureau director, that documented Mr. Rosenstein’s actions and comments.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/us/politics/rod-rosenstein-wear-wire-25th-amendment.html

---

Friday dump.

[RandySF]

1. Oh shit's getting real

[TheBlackAdder]

16. Per Rosenstein...

"The New York Times’s story is inaccurate and factually incorrect, I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment."

[greatauntoftriplets]

19. Covering his ass.

[TheBlackAdder]

21. He solicited people in Trump's cabinet and aids and none of they relayed it to Trump? None?

.

That says a lot about his cabinet and aids.

.

[bearsfootball516]

2. "None of Mr. Rosenstein's proposals apparently came to fruition."

It was an interesting story, although not sure how important it is nowadays. Basically, Rosenstein may have been trying to undermine Trump, but it didn't work and now he's denying that he did it.

Interesting...but also eh.

I could be wrong, though.

[Totally Tunsie]

3. Just saw this on CNN - Boom!

[hlthe2b]

4. Are we seeing Rosenstein leaking to send a ""message? (e.g., re: declassifying documents, etc.)

[FBaggins]

17. Doubt it

I'd say that it's more likely to be a pretext to fire Rosenstein.

[LiberalLovinLug]

26. Bingo!

[Grasswire2]

27. yes ratf&ckery from Trump team

that's my guess.

[Fred Sanders]

5. I guess this will put an end to the "Rothstein is a Republican and can not be trusted" junk.

It was so fun while it lasted, that sowing of discord and division and distrust...someone should tell the Russians how to do it!

[elleng]

6. Why publish this today?

Further anger trump NOW? Why?

[BumRushDaShow]

8. So they can have their reporters appear on teevee?

[Thekaspervote]

9. Yes.. why??!! Won't that just further jeopardize his job.. we need him

[bearsfootball516]

10. NYT may have just discovered it recently.

But it happened a year and a half ago. If it was discovered and reported in real time as it was happening, it would have been massive. Now...I'm not really sure.

It could piss off Trump enough to fire him, conceivably though.

[still_one]

23. Someone wants an excuse to fire Rosenstein

[exboyfil]

7. It seems like a firing offense

To secretly record your boss. I think we are reaching endgame.

[Auggie]

12. My first thought as well

[Grasswire2]

29. he denies it

who ya going to believe? An anonymous source? At this critical moment?

[exboyfil]

39. The source does seem real shaky

Someone apparently read McCabe's notes. Now McCabe has some support on this board, but his disclosures were self serving to the campaign and made to the detriment of Clinton.

Without a first hand source, the story should never have been published.

I wonder how much the NYT realizes it has damaged this country if the story becomes the justification for firing Rothestein.

[ewagner]

51. I think this is Trump's Reistag Fire....

He will use this to clean house and put in his own toadies...

This gives credence to his insane "deep state" argument and he'll use it consolidate his power.

[wiggs]

11. He denies it and says there's an agenda to discredit the doj. More obstruction? nt

[NewJeffCT]

14. I think you're correct

probably a hack job by Rudy Giuliani, or a minion of his.

[NewJeffCT]

13. Rosenstein has called the story inaccurate

look further down in the article

Link to tweet

?s=19

[suffragette]

31. Very important point.

[elleng]

43. 'Put out there by' whomever,

NYT PUBLISHED it. WTF?

[NewJeffCT]

45. I bet

the "whomever" is somebody in the White House close to Trump, if not Trump himself - Bill Shine, Rudy G, etc

[elleng]

46. Again, NYT published it, WTF!

[PubliusEnigma]

15. They brought in the big guns to try and save Kavanaugh through distraction.

[Corgigal]

18. Could be a trump made up story.

[lark]

20. I'd bet $$ this is drumpf fake news.

He wants to get rid of Rosenstein, so he called his BFF Haberman who happily went along with the charade. Now he will stew about this and probably get rid of Rosenstein & Sessions the day after the mid-terms, If Dems don't take over at least 1 branch of Congress. He might even do it if we just retake the House but not the Senate since the Senate gets to approve/disapprove his nominees?

[still_one]

22. The NY Times just got Rosenstein fired by an unknown source, and will now play into trump's

deep state conspiracy

[Lonestarblue]

24. I've lost a lot of respect for the NYT.

During 2016, they did a hatchet job on Hillary while glossing over any Trump misdeeds. Their acceptance of the Clinton Cash book as a factual story about the Clintons was journalistic malpractice. Their headline writers were careful to avoid negative connotations only for Trump. I no longer remember the exact words on some, but I do remember titles like “Clinton Foundation Being Investigated for Fraud” but “Trump Foundation Under Scrutiny.” As we all know, the real fraud is the Trump Foundation. Yes, the NYT still publishes opinion writers I like, but they still seem too often to be trying to curry favor with Trump, which may be why they published this article on allegations against Rosenstein. Are they trying to provide ammo for Trump to fire him?

[poli3]

25. How is reporting on anything Rosenstein may have said

different from Woodward reporting on what Mattis, Kelly, etc. said?

[bettyellen]

34. Haberman has hidden the fact that her unnamed source is sometimes Trump

And it appears she has reported his blatherings as if it’s accurate. She always has his back.

[NewJeffCT]

37. Woodward has recordings of the people saying what they said

the sources in this story were not there when Rosenstein was alleged to have made the quote.

[pennylane100]

50. I do not believe the story is true and he has denied it.

I think Rosenstein is too intelligent to even attempt such a move. It smells like s a Trump or repug move to get rid of Mueller and according to some of the comments here, it may be working.

[happy feet]

57. Me too

I read the entire article | it appears many on this thread did not. Having read the entire article it's clear to me there is 'no corroboration' of the notes as McCabe took, others say Rosenstein s sarcastic and recall in response to McCabe he said something like "what do you want me to do - spy on him....? The headline does not reflect the article and I cry foul.

[bitterross]

28. Good for him if he did. It would be the right thing to do per his oath.

If Rosenstein did this he would be fulfilling his oath to the Constitution.

We shouldn't shrink away from the possibility. We should celebrate it.

[Grasswire2]

30. look at this disgusting sourcing

"Several people described the episodes, insisting on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The people were briefed either on the events themselves or on memos written by F.B.I. officials, including Andrew G. McCabe, then the acting bureau director, that documented Mr. Rosenstein’s actions and comments."

Okay, let's hear from McCabe on this.

[Grasswire2]

32. Irresponsible for NYT to not get a quote from McCabe on this now. nt

[exboyfil]

41. Exactly

A real news source would have contacted him before publication. You can't take something like this second hand.

[Gothmog]

33. Rosenstein Denies That He Discussed Recording Trump, Invoking 25th Amendment

Link to tweet

[Honeycombe8]

35. This was a leak by W.H....to justify FIRING ROSENSTEIN. This will be the excuse. Mueller gone, too.

Rosenstein is gone. And with him, the Mueller investigation.

[DeminPennswoods]

36. First thought was this sounds a lot like the

anonymous Op-Ed writer of last week. Rosenstein is not a cabinet member and neither are any of his colleagues or underlings. He would not be involved in any discussion of using the 25th amendment as that is the baliwick of the VP and cabinet only.

I suppose it's possible that Trump is closing in on finding who wrote the op-ed and this is an attempt to throw the hounds off the fox's scent.

[Squinch]

38. Except that didn't happen at all.

[Trust Buster]

40. The NYT's is turning into a total rag outlet of late.

[BigmanPigman]

42. My initial thoughts...

1. This will be used as an excuse to fire him.
2. The fucking moron and/or his staff made it up to give him a reason to fire Rosenstein
3. Why did the NY Times do this, especially over 1 1/2 years after it supposedly happened?
4. Get my protest signs out that I made last Dec when we thought he would fire Rosenstein over winter
break while the Senate and House were away.
5. If did say this I like him even more now.
RESIST!
https://act.moveon.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response-events/search/

[Xipe Totec]

44. Another lame attempt to derail the news cycle over the weekend.

Nice plant, mr Trump.

[PaulX2]

47. Of Course They Record Trump He Lies Like There Is No Tomorrowy

And has a thousand knives on hand to stab all his friends in the back when it becomes necessary for his survival.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

48. Trumpy must really be enraged today.

[SayItLoud]

49. Watch how fast the "failing New York Times"...

with it's anonymous sources becomes the credible pillar of truth and honesty for the F'n MORON and the RePUBICs.

[WhoWoodaKnew]

52. This has New York Con Man written all over it.

[SummerSnow]

53. Someone please explain to me why is he trying to get fired.

[luvallpeeps]

54. Rod Rosenstein reminds me of Squints Palledorous from Sandlot

I know this doesn't belong here, but I could not help myself.
[link:|

[Taraman]

56. So what?

[gordianot]

55. I see several possibilities.

Theory 1 this story is a plant and just another Trump lie. On the surface that is the best possibility.

Theory 2 Trump had a meltdown that scared everyone around him. Given his Personality Disorder this is plausible.

Theory 3 Trump knows he has nothing to lose anymore he is in his warped judgement getting even.

Theory 4 There is no real plan, Trump totally lives in the moment and listens to the most vindictive idea provided by others. (Such as his Russian handlers)

5 Theory 5. All or some of the above.

[still_one]

58. NY Times has another WMD moment.

[BumRushDaShow]

59. Yeah, am hearing Schmidt doubling and tripling down on it

on Chris Hayes' show (with Ari in for Chris). And basically he was like he didn't care what either side thought about it.

[Taraman]

60. I'm still thinking he got played.

[BumRushDaShow]

61. Either that or

it's a high stakes, Hail Mary "reverse psychology" move by the NYT.

[still_one]

62. no way. They are trying to create news by mischaracterizing what happened. Judy Miller would be

proud

[BumRushDaShow]

63. Maggie Haberman

has her prints all over it (without her name).