“A Darker Portrait Emerges of Trump’s Attacks on the Justice Department”

“Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, praised President Trump last spring for backing the rule of law and commended the Constitution and American culture for protecting lawfulness. “I don’t think there’s any threat to the rule of law in America today,” he said at a celebration of the concept.

“Mr. Rosenstein left unmentioned that he and other senior leaders at the department and the F.B.I. were enduring Mr. Trump’s sustained attacks on law enforcement in both public and private. The president had demanded Mr. Rosenstein falsely claim responsibility for dismissing the bureau’s director and had toyed with firing the attorney general, prompting Mr. Rosenstein and the Justice Department’s No. 3 official to vow to quit if the termination happened.

“The long-awaited report by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, released on Thursday painted a portrait of law enforcement leaders more fiercely under siege than previously known. They struggled to navigate Mr. Trump’s apparent disregard for their mission through a mix of threats to resign, quiet defiance and capitulation to some presidential demands. While their willingness to stay quiet might have protected their institutions, it also helped empower Mr. Trump to continue his attacks,” by Katie Benner and Adam Goldman, The New York Times. Read more

“This Video Of Lindsey Graham Talking About Impeachment In 1999 Is Going Viral”

“Thanks to the Internet it’s easy enough to dredge up someone’s past — or for instance, a video of a senator making claims about one president that he could later be asked to apply to another. This video of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) talking about impeachment in 1999 is going viral — and for very good reason. Sorry, Graham,” by Daniella Bondar, Elite Daily. Read more