Has Mueller outmaneuvered Trumpsky?
Alas, I'm not keeping you gentle readers updated on our disastrous president and his misbegotten deals with Russia. (That is, the Mueller investigation that's now back on Washington's "front burner.")
But tonight's news analysis, about ex-Trump "fixer" Michael Cohen pleading guilty to perjury this morning, tells me that a showdown on the matter is coming soon. It's a high-risk effort.
A lot of local observers (yes, including me) were discouraged by Trumpsky's firing of Attorney General Sessions right after the Nov. 6 mid-term elections. Trying tor impose a hatchet man not confirmed by the US Senate, Matthew Whitman, in his place. It was evidently aimed at damaging Mueller's effectiveness, BUT the reactions tonight to Cohen's new cooperation with Mueller focus on Whitman NOT being asked to approve the Cohen indictment.
MSNBC commentators late this evening say that Whitman -- for unknown reasons -- is not yet in control of the investigation. Indeed, it appears that Deputy AG Rosenstein (whom Trumpsky pre-empted from becoming Acting AG two weeks ago) remains in charge of the Mueller investigation -- which the media had not known until now.
That may be good news -- perhaps showing that the controversial Whitman is recusing himself under Justice Dept. rules. Such a repeat of the Sessions history would surely infuriate Trumpsky. But key top-level career people at the Justice Dept. may be trying to finesse Whitman's much-criticized role -- quietly delaying the decision on his recusal.
The Mueller team astutely pushed the Cohen court case today -- a surprise to observers. This afternoon (before flying off to the Buenos Aires G-20 meeting), Trumpsky merely groused about his former attorney Cohen being a "weak" and inadequate lawyer -- NOT deigning to defend him. Does the nincompoop even KNOW that Whitman seems, in fact, to have been outmaneuvered on Cohen?
But tonight's news analysis, about ex-Trump "fixer" Michael Cohen pleading guilty to perjury this morning, tells me that a showdown on the matter is coming soon. It's a high-risk effort.
A lot of local observers (yes, including me) were discouraged by Trumpsky's firing of Attorney General Sessions right after the Nov. 6 mid-term elections. Trying tor impose a hatchet man not confirmed by the US Senate, Matthew Whitman, in his place. It was evidently aimed at damaging Mueller's effectiveness, BUT the reactions tonight to Cohen's new cooperation with Mueller focus on Whitman NOT being asked to approve the Cohen indictment.
MSNBC commentators late this evening say that Whitman -- for unknown reasons -- is not yet in control of the investigation. Indeed, it appears that Deputy AG Rosenstein (whom Trumpsky pre-empted from becoming Acting AG two weeks ago) remains in charge of the Mueller investigation -- which the media had not known until now.
That may be good news -- perhaps showing that the controversial Whitman is recusing himself under Justice Dept. rules. Such a repeat of the Sessions history would surely infuriate Trumpsky. But key top-level career people at the Justice Dept. may be trying to finesse Whitman's much-criticized role -- quietly delaying the decision on his recusal.
The Mueller team astutely pushed the Cohen court case today -- a surprise to observers. This afternoon (before flying off to the Buenos Aires G-20 meeting), Trumpsky merely groused about his former attorney Cohen being a "weak" and inadequate lawyer -- NOT deigning to defend him. Does the nincompoop even KNOW that Whitman seems, in fact, to have been outmaneuvered on Cohen?