Those are questions that are consuming everyone and we likely will never get a satisfactory answer to those questions. That Comey is only the second FBI director to be fired, Bill Clinton fired one as well, does not help in answering the questions.
However, there is one thing that I believe that is important to note.
Everyone is talking about Russia-gate and some have compared the firing to Richard Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre. Nixon fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the ongoing Watergate scandal. The two are unrelated because Cox was specifically looking at wrongdoing into the Nixon administration, as a special prosecutor, while James Comey was leading the FBI which has many pending cases open, some of which involve the Trump administration.
It is tempting to compare Nixon and Trump but in this case, there is only one thing that the two events have in common – Deep Throat. Officially, James Comey was fired by Donald Trump because Comey had committed acts that resulted in the loss of confidence in the institution of the FBI. The offending acts, according to Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General, are the public statements made by Comey regarding the Hillary Clinton email scandal.
However, the underlining narrative emanating from the Trump Administration into the Russia scandal is that the investigations should be focusing on the leaks of sensitive information instead of the allegations of collusion between Trump team members and Russian officials.
Clearly, the leaked information has given rise to the Russian allegations.
This is what bring us right back to Deep Throat.
Deep Throat was the pseudonym of an individual that was the source that leaked important details about the Watergate coverup that allowed Washington Post reporters, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, to expose Richard Nixon’s shenanigans that led to his resignation. For many years, the identity for the whistle blower remained hidden behind the pseudonym of Deep Throat until he revealed himself to Vanity Fair in 2005. Mark Felt, the acting associate director of the FBI which, at the time, was investigating the break in of the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee by five men connected to the Nixon administration.
Felt believed that his investigation into Nixon was being hampered by the White House and other federal agencies, like the CIA. Later it was revealed that FBI interview reports were being given to the Nixon administration by Patrick Gray, the acting FBI director at the time.
For three months, the FBI investigation found no evidence connecting Nixon to the five men caught breaking into the DNC. The Nixon administration insisted that it was not involved in the Watergate incident. Mark Felt was determined not to let the Watergate affair be buried and thus he started confirming or denying, as necessary, confidential information about the Watergate investigation to Woodward. Eventually, outraged at the Nixon White House cover up, Felt started to actively provide Woodward leads and exposed the conspiracy to him. By doing so, Mark Felt was betraying his promise to keep confidential information secret.
Today, Mark Felt, is applauded by many for his courage in betraying his responsibility to the FBI for the good of the country. Because of the mounting pressure from the news media, Richard Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974 and upwards of 30 Nixon officials were convicted or pleaded guilty to various crimes.
What Mark Felt aka Deep Throat has proven is that sometimes it is necessary to betray an oath for the good of the country. What the United States needs today is a modern-day Deep Throat willing to put aside politics to expose conspiracies that are detrimental to the country.
At this point we do not conclusively know whether the Trump administration or close advisors colluded with the Russians. A Deep Throat could expose it, if it exists.
As much as many draw up similarities between Watergate and Russia-gate the only thing that truly connects the two is the president demanding to know who is leaking details to the press.
Is there a Deep Throat ready to serve the country today?
Martin
Unless Comey,Clapper and others in the government lied before Congress there never was collusion between the Russians and Trump. Then again we have those in the media and on the left claiming there was collusion with out one ounce of proof.
The problem is you have some one in the Obama administration passing classified material to the press in a attempt to subvert an election. In addition these same agencies being used as political tools against those running for the presidency.
Not a fan of Rand Paul but he said he has been told they were looking at him. I want to know every one that was under surveillance who was running for the presidency, their staff and shown the proof for justification for such actions. It doesn’t matter if it’s Trump ,to Paul, To Bernie or even Hillary the American people need to know who was using their government for political gain in an election and which would be a clear attempt to subvert an election.
Martin here another issue that the Washington beltway elite are trying to avoid looking at. It is unprecedented for a crime of such magnitude as the hacking of the DNC servers where the FBI was denied access to where the crime took place. The DNC refused to allow the FBI first person inspection of the servers. Somethings dead wrong with this by any investigatory standards. Comey went along with this and he could not give a good reason for allowing this to take place. The DNC reported a crime and to do their job the FBI should of had access to these servers and since the DNC is claiming the crime Comey should have brought charges of criminal obstruction against the leaders of the DNC to gain such access or at least a court order for such access. The FBI do not have control of the examination of the servers makes it no more than hear say to what was found. It’s not like the company that did examining of the servers was some out side non-bias interest but had known close connection with the DNC or did the FBI have any oversight of this company’s examination of the servers by this company. People wake up this is insane! It would be like a third party investigating a murder scene and the police never go to the murder scene to do their own investigation just going to take the word of the third party oh who may have connection to the murder victim and the crime scene.
Once again no proof Trump and his staff did anything crimnal but they are guilty with out proof. Once again insane non-sense. This is no more than trail by the mob and in the press which it’s wrong.
In my opinion the danger to America isn’t the Russians on this issue it’s political operatives in our government using their positions and the resources of our government for political interest and gain of a party to got some one elected. This should worry every one whether you are on the left, right or somewhere in between.
I agree. The real test of whether or not Comey’s firing was justified will be whether or not an investigation gets started quickly on whether a sitting president used intelligent agency resources to “investigate” (i.e. opposition research) candidates other than Hillary. That investigation didn’t seem to be happening under Comey. Nor did appear that was any investigation going relative to Anthony Weiner’s access to classified information on a shared laptop–and Comey was specifically called out on that last week in the Congressional hearing he was questioned at. Members of the media were also apparently “investigated.” If Comey’s firing opens the door to a look at those activities, I’m good with it. And we also should be having more of a conversation about the fact that the reason WikiLeaks was damaging was because the information pointed to unethical and possibly illegal behavior on the part of HIllary, her campaign and the DNC. The “Russian” scare is designed to keep us focused in another direction.
anglocentric
It’s to not just the left that is dragging their feet it those in Congress on the right are too. The Washington belt way elite want to cover up some one was abusing power for political ends and they not want the American people to wise up.
And the media is this propagandizing this . Not one has show an ounce of proof of criminality by Trump or his staff and the media just keeps saying things that have been proven already to have zero substance. Like the post Rice says she uncovered a Russian spy referring to Flynn which is total garbage but the press ran with it. Let me let the Tit tard left in on a fact Trump and staff could of had daily meeting with Putin himself and it wouldn’t be unlawful as long as there was no discussion and collusion to undermine the election or hack any one. The Tit tard left and the swill media are trying to come off claiming any contact ,any interaction, any past business dealings by Trump or staff with the Russians was unlawful and proof of collusion which is “total bullshit”. If the Tit tard left and the swill media want to stand on that one that they have the launch an investigation of Hillary , Bill and her staff’s dealing and contacts with the Russians and others across government that have done the same and let’s not even talk about the business community in America doing the same.. Once again such dealing with the Russians are not unlawful. This is the level of stupid and insanity it has gotten too.
Once again this is all a smoke screen to cover up abuse of power in government by people on Obama’s watch for political gains and to subvert an election to get Hillary elected. Oh there is already plenty of proof Hillary, her DNC minions had no problem subverting an election since that did so in their own Democratic primaries.
Did anyone forget that Bill Clinton fired the FBI because of image and lack of support from the rank and file? Why isn’t anyone asking why the Clinton Foundation a very generous contribution AFTER helping the Russians buy the uranium mine located in the US. Sec State Clinton worked that deal.
I’m afraid if everyone in government was guilty of treason for talking in private with foreign governments, Washington would be empty. Google, ALL governments discuss issues and work deals with each other, even the so called hostile countries. Even the Intel agencies pass info to each other.
Let’s accept this as nothing more than finger pointing and political mud slinging on both sides. We need to get back to governing !
Since this current ‘The Russians are coming’ cycle has started many on the Left have been critical of this DNC-driven hysteria. Many of us on the left have not forgotten the previous McCarthyism that damaged innocent lives, the scientists, writers, artists, singers, – many who went to prison and lost their careers due to mad men and a gullible public.
Some of the best critiques I have read have been written by left-wingers, it is they that coined the term ‘Neo-McCarthyism’ (or where I came across it); some see it as the attempts to delegitimize a legally-elected president (el trompas – my words), some see it as attempts to impeach and/or the makings of a ‘soft-coup’. It has been noted why it is not like Watergate. The main culprits of this cycle being the DNC and its hard-core supporters e.g.: New York Times, Rachel Maddow, hardly the voice of the Left.
A few weeks past the NYT and/or the Washington Post printed a list of WEB sites alleging these to be purveyors of fake news in order to besmirch their reputations. The problem with this lie is that these writers, site owners, and/or investigative journalists are individuals with experience and credibility; they’re familiar with the machinations of those in power.
Now for those that insist on blaming the Left – chill and read before commenting. I don’t much care about the silly name-calling (one may say it comes with the turf) but when the lie being perpetuated that the Left is behind this cycle of hysteria then the lying liars must be called out for what they are – lying liars.
On a different note for those who read books, the authors of “Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign” are making the rounds. Listen to the authors as they promote their book. It is worth it.
Thomas, I agree. The problem is the culture of corruption on both sides of the aisle. Professional politicians and the donor class that keeps them in power, want Trump to fail because if he succeeds their power base and wealth building schemes go away. There are different talking points for the right and the left, but the words are coming out of the same mindset–preserve the status quo, change is bad. For the average American, change would be good because the path we’ve headed down isn’t sustainable.
Pati
What lies? Of course if the left said the sun was black you would fall in lock step to support their claim! Big mouth show all of us the proof that Trump has done something criminal with the Russians. Not your opinion, not unsupported innuendo, but proof. No may,maybe, could be etc. If you do claim such a whole lot of people have been lying before Congress! Pati you are the lying lair here! See Pati I would like them to try and impeach Trump because the truth would come out about those under the Obama administration who used government to try and subvert an election for Hillary. Unless Trump steps down on his own Trump will remain in office.
Here is the truth about the leadership in both parties and the Congress they do not give a shit about average America, much less the working poor or poor Blacks, Hispanics or the poor in general but Pati you keep believing the delusion that the Democratic party in government give a shit about most Americans.
If their is any party really to blame for Trump being elected it is the Democratic party and the far left. Remember Super Genius many people voted for Trump not believing he was the best but Hillary was far,far worse.