Top Tillerson aide fired after contradicting White House account of firing

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY REBECCA SAVRANSKY - 03/13/18 12:23 PM EDT

The White House has reportedly fired an aide at the State Department who contradicted the White House account of President Trump's firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The Associated Press first reported the firing of Under Secretary of State Steve Goldstein, citing officials.

Link to tweet

The firing was reportedly prompted by a statement from Goldstein on Tuesday, responding to Tillerson's firing, in which Goldstein said Tillerson did not speak with Trump before his firing and is "unaware" of the reason behind his dismissal.

The statement strongly suggested that Tillerson found out about his firing from Twitter — though it differs from published accounts of the decision that cited unnamed White House sources.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/378133-top-tillerson-aide-fired-after-giving-contradicting-account-of-ouster

[MBS]

1. This is becoming like the Kremlin. n/t

[Ccarmona]

22. Dont Drink the Tea nt

[apnu]

2. And the shitshow continues. (nt)

[riversedge]

3. first reported the firing of Under Secretary of State Steve Goldstein,...Top job

in my estimation- At least by the title would would be pretty high up in State.



.....The Associated Press first reported the firing of Under Secretary of State Steve Goldstein, citing officials.

[Gothmog]

4. Who is surprised by this?

[Canoe52]

5. tRump issued a blanket statement Tuesday that from now on

anyone speaking the truth would be immediately fired.

[notdarkyet]

29. They should all leave. I would.

[FarPoint]

6. tRump rules as an abusive male....

Terrorist in action...

Women who have experienced domestic abuse and left the relationship...they understand.

[FakeNoose]

7. Tillerson was in Africa, he cut the trip short when he heard he was fired

Sounds like another Comey deal, right?

Tillerson's Undersecretary Steve Goldstein was not in Africa, and he hadn't heard that Tillerson was fired.
So what gives here?

It sounds like a massacre to me. Who's next - John Kelly?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Tillerson knew something was up; maybe just not how severe. . . . nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Real reason: Tillerson did not find Obama's birth certificate in Kenya. . . . . nt

[FakeNoose]

16. Maybe because it was never there

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. Mr. Mueller III?

Sir, it’s time for a perp walk.

[duforsure]

9. Tillerson will talk

He knows too much, and knows he has to. Just a matter of time.

[dalton99a]

12. "Only Liars Need Apply"

[NastyRiffraff]

13. This may well be the biggest Trump mistake yet

and that's saying a lot. First, there's a very good chance Tillerson will talk. Mueller is probably salivating right now. Second, from Trump's POV, this may well piss of his boss, Putin. Vlad does not like being disobeyed.

[FakeNoose]

17. Yes let's hope he didn't sign an NDA ;-)

I believe Tillerson knows where the bodies are buried - so to speak. When Trump appointed him to Secretary of State, they had never met. Pootie wanted Tillerson plain and simple. There's a lot going on there that we don't know about.

I'm sure that there would have been a totally different outcome if the Russian sanctions and Exxon / Russia deal had gone the way Putin wanted. Didn't happen and somebody has to be blamed.

So Mueller is already on this I'm sure. He'll have a debriefing session with Tillerson very soon.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. Putin soured on Tillerson. Said mistake to pin award on him. Plus Tillerson condemned poisoning. .nt

[Still In Wisconsin]

14. Can you imagine ANYONE competent taking a job at State in this climate?

I cannot. They're going to have an entire department of TRUMP lackeys and bootlickers by the time his first term is over. Diplomats? BAH! We need red-blooded MAGA men!

[maxsolomon]

23. John Bolton will

he's competent at being an asshole.

[SergeStorms]

24. Well, there might have been one or two competent people left, except.....

Tillerson and Trump so hollowed out the State Department there's hardly anyone left anymore. I think the maintenance personnel are in charge of the North Korea negotiations at the moment.

[sandensea]

15. Uncle Vlad no happy.

I'd watch my back if I were steve Goldstein.

[SergeStorms]

25. Russian agents are heading to America.....

with their jar of 'Polonium Whip'. Nothing dresses up a sandwich like the zesty taste of Polonium Whip!

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. "Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked ..."

Yeah, that's the level of farce this is now at.

https://www.balloon-juice.com/2018/03/13/those-responsible-for-sacking-the-people-who-have-just-been-sacked/

For those who don't get the reference, a brief interlude and respite:

[SergeStorms]

26. Now you've done it!

I'm going to have to dig out my 'Holy Grail' DVD, since it's been at least a year or so since I last watched it. That's entirely too long!

[Maeve]

28. Yeah, verily!!

But no llamas, please.

[Wednesdays]

30. Dilly, dilly. eom

[UpInArms]

20. I am sick of the twitter thing

On one hand, we are told that it is just the idiot’s method of talking to his cult ...

Then, we are supposed to get staff notices and policy from it?

Pick one and rot off, is what I say ... or better yet, STOP USING IT AT ALL

[meadowlander]

21. Rachel's going to have to switch to rolling credits

for her "big board" of ex-Trump officials.

[SergeStorms]

27. No kidding!

It's rumored there are more "changes" coming later in the week. Her "wall" is going to become a "cube" in no time.