Slate - Comeys Firing Is the Moment of Truth for the GOP

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_good_fight/2017/05/james_comey_s_firing_is_the_moment_of_truth_for_the_republican_party.html

They can finally find the courage of their convictions—or let Trump destroy the republic.

By Yascha Mounk

There are enough ironies in the story of James Brien Comey Jr. to fill multiple biographies: He has long enjoyed a reputation as a consummate professional, and yet he has behaved in a blatantly unprofessional manner in the moments that will forever define his career. He is an admirer of Reinhold Niebuhr, the great liberal theologian, and yet he bears a lot of responsibility for placing Donald Trump in the White House.



But here, for all of those ironies, is the stark bottom line: The president of the United States just fired the director of the FBI in the midst of an ongoing investigation into his campaign’s possible collusion with a hostile, authoritarian power. And that is a very scary sign of what he may have in store for the American republic over the next four years.

Trump has already done a lot of damage. Over the past three months, he has pursued cruel policies that will leave millions of Americans worse off and less healthy. He has consistently undermined key democratic norms by attacking the free press, by denigrating the judiciary, and by allowing his associates to use his position for private gain.

But amid all this bad news, there has been one reason for cautious optimism: The greatest fear many political scientists had expressed before his election was not coming to pass. Despite his verbal attacks, Donald Trump did not seem to be taking any concrete action to undermine the independence of key state institutions.

snip - much more to read at the link.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. FBI investigating tRump assoc. Russian ties, like Sessions Russian ties. Self-recused Session fires

Sessions of course did not fire Comey but made the key recommendation tRump asked for so tRump could fire Comey, despite recusing himself from having anything to do with the investigation. It's an attempted roadblock.

Putin-tRump must have something on Sessions.

[Best_man23]

2. Something anyone working in the Government needs to keep in mind

When you took your post, you swore to support and defend the Constitution, not the President or any individual in government.

So, "If you cross Trump’s interests by doing your job, you may well get fired", keep in mind you will be joining a distinct group of American Patriots who chose Constitution over loyalty to a deranged man.

William Ruckelshaus, Sally Yates, Preet Bharara