Why doesn't Bush just fire Fitzgerald?

[kentuck]

What would be the consequences? A few Democrats would scream a little bit but would he really suffer any consequences? The conservatives would love it. They would compare it to Reagan busting the PATCo union. So what's he waiting for?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Could he do that?

Could Clinton have fired Ken Starr?

[GrpCaptMandrake]

8. Clinton couldn't fire Starr

b/c of the Independent Counsel law.

That's expired and was not re-enacted.

THe primary reason Bush can't/won't fire Fitz is that it would, by resurrecting memories of the "Saturday Night Massacre" establish Bush in the Nixon meme.

The Busheviks "image" everything. And they fer shure don't want the ghost of Nixon walking the walls like some American political version of Hamlet's ghost. Not now, not ever.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

14. Ahh

I get it. Thanks for the history/legal lesson.

If he fired Fitz it would be, to me terrifying. I'd be looking next for tanks on Main Street.

[adwon]

20. That's kind of an open question

Reno could have fired Starr, though she was limited to a few situations. It seems fairly obvious that her boss, who could have fired her, would have the same power and likely would not have been bound by the restrictions of Congress. Dumb as hell, politically, though.

[Xipe Totec]

9. Nixon fired Archibald Cox

We all know how well that went over.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/102173-2.htm

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. Fitz is not in the same position as Ken Starr

Ken Starr's mandate was under an amended version of the Independent Counsel law, since lapsed.

Fitz mandate is as a special prosecutor still attached to the DoJ, and operating within its hierarchy.

It would be a grievous mistake to confuse these positions.

[DawnneOBTS]

12. No, of course not...

...Bill Clinton's private life was everybody's business, he couldn't do a damn thing to the Repukes. He had no power to do so. The Shrub's public and private lives are both "off limits." He has people protecting him and people protecting the people that are protecting him. He can fire (or keep, e.g., Michael Brown) anyone he wants for as long as he wants. He's got people to make sure of that. Anyone see KO last night?

[Don1]

2. Even simpler for them would be to

arrest him for stealing pencils from work.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. It would be too much like Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre.

And we all know how that eventually turned out. I believe this situation is already much too uncomfortably Watergate-ish for them, and I doubt they'd want to see another parallel.

[kentuck]

6. Who would hold them accountable ?

The press? The Democrats?

[Bumblebee]

28. By now -- yes, both. Let's be real!

[rpannier]

4. I think the AG has to do that

That's why I think that whole thing played out like it did under Nixon.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Three words:

Saturday Night Massacre.

He knows damn well that firing the prosecutor would be a tacit admission of guilt, especially since he has exactly ZERO grounds to do so. It sunk Nixon with the public.

It will be an option on the table for them if indictments DO come down, though. If they're super desperate.

[No Exit]

7. Heh heh. Oh, I don't think Barbara lets little Georgie play with

firecrackers.

She'll never forget what happened to that nice boy who used to live down the street--Richard Nixon.

[LiberalEsto]

11. He can't.

Several DUers have posted the info that Fitzgerald is working with all the authority of the US Attorney General because of the special way he was appointed.

I can't explain the technicalities, but Bush cannot fire him.

[ochazuke]

13. Brilliant!! Just replace Fitz with Bush's personal lawyer! Problem Solved!

you can be sure he would do that if he could, and with a straight face, too.

[kentuck]

16. I have no doubt they could spin it...

I have seen nothing in the last four years to make me believe otherwise.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

18. Wouldn't be the first time

Dear Leader used Harriet Miers to cover up his past misconduct. She was part and parcel of whitewashing his National Guard service AND managed the damage control for "Funeralgate" when Dim Son was Gobernador de Tejas.

[unrepuke]

21. Straight face? Well, maybe with a little smirk.

Or that big shit eating grin of his.:evilgrin:

[kurth]

15. He just might

But as Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales has his own reputation to protect, and Alberto might just appoint somebody else to finish the investigation and issue a full report.

[niallmac]

17. Sometime it feels like 'Ground Hog Day' around here.

I stick this link in similiar threads cuz it seems to answer the question...
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/10/13/32749/653

[Xipe Totec]

19. Yes it does. And thanks for the link. Good one! n/t

[emulatorloo]

22. thanks -- Original Poster (Kentuck) rlease read niallmac's post above

niallmac, I'm bookmarking that for the next time I see that question on DU.

right next to the WAPO article that explains fitz has no political party affiliation.

[kentuck]

23. I read it...good post.

But reality changes from day to day. Libby may be feeling more pressure tomorrow than today. The possible political consequences change also. So, even though it may seem like Groundhog Day, it's really Thanksgiving.

[Grateful for Hope]

24. He can't

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/10/13/32749/653

...Neither Bush nor his Justice Department cronies have the legal authority to remove Fitzgerald as Special Counsel or to prematurely end his grand jury. You can thank James Comey for this.


Comey's brilliant nuances involved with US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's appointment as "Special Counsel" are nothing short of genius. The foresight of Acting Attorney General Comey's "delegation of authority" to Fitzgerald will go down in history as one of the most stunning and brilliant acts of non-partisan patriotism this nation has ever seen.

[kentuck]

26. Very interesting...

"The Attorney General, Acting Attorney General or any other officer of the Department of Justice has NO LEGAL AUTHORITY to remove Special Counsel Fitzgerald from the Treasongate investigation or prosecution-- AND -- President Bush does NOT have the legal authority to fire Patrick Fitzgerald in his capacity as "Special Counsel".

=======================================================================

Does that mean Fitzgerald answers to no one? Is that legal?

[earth mom]

25. Maybe * tried to already.... eom

[Bumblebee]

27. He is way too unpopular to do anything like that now without

a revolt even within his own party. You live by the sword, you die by one. Clinton was still liked by a sizable majority; the Congress was in the hands of the other party so they could claim -- rightfully so -- partisan zeal. Starr fit that too. Bush cannot evoke sympathy because not a single of these elements is present. Once you burn the bridges, there is, really, no way to cross them :)

[CHestonsucks]

29. Coxsackers unite!

Give 'em enough rope......