Sounds to me like we need to eliminate the entire civil service system and just return to the spoils system at this point.

From the outside looking in, it appears as though you have an entire executive branch working against their elected head at every instance. I would rather have inexperienced cronies running the show over partisan hacks.

Oh my....

blindey said:

---

Sounds to me like we need to eliminate the entire civil service system and just return to the spoils system at this point.

From the outside looking in, it appears as though you have an entire executive branch working against their elected head at every instance. I would rather have inexperienced cronies running the show over partisan hacks.

---

If Trump managed to get the federal employees out of being unionized, that would be a start. Doubt that could happen though.

RoscoePColtrane said:

---

Oh my....

---

Well, I'm mad!! Although I was just a teen when Watergate was happening I well remember the chaos it caused. It wasn't so much shock that Nixon was a foul-mouthed drunk, it was so much incompetency in the federal government. The revelation (decades later) that it was Mark Felt, and FBI agent, that was Deep Throat directing Woodward and Bernstein was just confirmation of my earlier assessment.

The FBI knew what Nixon and his merry band of plumbers were up to but failed to act.

aggiehawg said:

---

RoscoePColtrane said:

---

Oh my....

---

Well, I'm mad!! Although I was just a teen when Watergate was happening I well remember the chaos it caused. It wasn't so much shock that Nixon was a foul-mouthed drunk, it was so much incompetency in the federal government. The revelation (decades later) that it was Mark Felt, and FBI agent, that was Deep Throat directing Woodward and Bernstein was just confirmation of my earlier assessment.

The FBI knew what Nixon and his merry band of plumbers were up to but failed to act.

---

Oh Mark Felt, the original Hoover bag man. Not just an agent he was Associate Director. Tricky Dick had his faults but they took him out. And here we are today and this mess that a hundred times as messy.

Looks like this was in another thread, but relevant here as well...

If only the media would do their job, instead of running interference for the guilty...

Sorry, i am again relegated to an ancient phone while away from home for the day. Would someone please link the latest article from TCTH. It is a timeline article about Rosenstein & Mueller, and ends by questioning: Why didn't Rosenstein close down the SC after learning about the corruption in the FBI/DOJ in August or September 2017?

MEENAGGIE09 said:

---

Looks like this was in another thread, but relevant here as well...

---

I LOVE IT!! Judge Ellis is spot on.

Here you go.

MEENAGGIE09 said:

---

Looks like this was in another thread, but relevant here as well...

---

This is glorious, Mueller has to be as agitated as a cat crapping thumbtacks.

Thanks.
This article is a great read. IMO, Rosenstein must be one of two things: either grossly incompetent or a black hat. How can Sessions and Trump not see him in such a light? Rosenstein is toast regardless.

Not to rain on anyone's parade but in my experience certain judges like to berate attorneys and then rule in their favor anyway.

We'll see if Judge Ellis is just blowing smoke. (FTR: I think he's legit.)

aggiehawg said:

---

Here you go.

---

drcrinum said:

---

Thanks.
This article is a great read. IMO, Rosenstein must be one of two things: either grossly incompetent or a black hat. How can Sessions and Trump not see him in such a light? Rosenstein is toast regardless.

---

I agree, however Trump is sort of screwed in this one.

He can't fire him without it looking like obstruction, although he should.

There is no politically acceptable forward move here short of the IG report pointing at Rosenstein, even then I am sure the left will shriek and Trump can kiss the remainder of his legislative agenda goodbye.

The message is loud and clear to anyone who wants to actually improve this country in a way that might interfere with the swamp:

We will crush you.
-the swamp

aggiehawg said:

---

blindey said:

---

Sounds to me like we need to eliminate the entire civil service system and just return to the spoils system at this point.

From the outside looking in, it appears as though you have an entire executive branch working against their elected head at every instance. I would rather have inexperienced cronies running the show over partisan hacks.

---

If Trump managed to get the federal employees out of being unionized, that would be a start. Doubt that could happen though.

---

2nd term goals....

I can't believe Mueller is going to take this sitting down. What is he likely to do?

If the SIC will just find him in contempt he can be fired by close of business with no legit claim of obstruction though there isn't really anyway, he can be fired by Trump for anything he chooses, but a contempt charge gives political cover.

RoscoePColtrane said:

---

This is the part that caught my eye

Further, Ellis demanded to see the unredacted "scope memo," a document outlining the scope of the special counsel's Russia probe that congressional Republicans have also sought.

Thumbtacks

---

Yeppers. It is the difference between "arising" and "arose" from the investigation.

Since the EDVa was investigating Manafort before Mueller's appointment how did it "arise" or "arose" directly from his investigation???

aggiehawg said:

---

IF Judge Ellis dismisses the charges against Manafort because of lack of jurisdiction, it raises the question of double jeopardy being attached.

Imagine the heads exploding if Manafort walks on the money laundering charges because Mueller improperly glommed onto a pending investigation by the US Attorney's office and blew it all to hell.

---

Double jeopardy does not attach until the jury is in the box

RoscoePColtrane said:

---

This is the part that caught my eye

Further, Ellis demanded to see the unredacted "scope memo," a document outlining the scope of the special counsel's Russia probe that congressional Republicans have also sought.

Thumbtacks

---

In camera review of documents one side is fighting like hell to keep off the record and out of anyone's hands is always a lot of fun. They're going to shade the judge harshly against Mueller/Rosenstien and that's something they'll never be able to shake.

BMX Bandit said:

---

aggiehawg said:

---

IF Judge Ellis dismisses the charges against Manafort because of lack of jurisdiction, it raises the question of double jeopardy being attached.

Imagine the heads exploding if Manafort walks on the money laundering charges because Mueller improperly glommed onto a pending investigation by the US Attorney's office and blew it all to hell.

---

Double jeopardy does not attach until the jury is in the box

---

True. I was being hyperbolic but as a practical matter the case that the Eastern District had against Manafort before Mueller's appointment would be tainted. The evidence obtained by the raids on his house and his storage unit are subject to being suppressed. Thus he walks.

Holy Shnikies

Bio of Judge Ellis (who Reagan appointed):

Quote:

---

Born on May 15, 1940, in Bogot, Colombia, Ellis graduated from Princeton University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1961. Ellis served in the United States Navy as a Naval aviator from 1961 to 1966. Ellis earned a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1969. Harvard awarded Ellis a Knox Fellowship for study in England. He then received a Diploma in Law in 1970 from Magdalen College, Oxford University. Ellis then entered private practice with the law firm of Hunton & Williams (now Hunton & Williams LLP), located in Richmond, Virginia, where he remained until 1987. His practice included a wide range of commercial litigation matters. He often worked with fellow Hunton & Williams attorney John Charles Thomas, who became Virginia's first African-American Supreme Court Justice. Ellis also was a lecturer at the College of William and Mary, from 1981 to 1983.[1][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Ellis_III#cite_note-fjc.gov-1][/url]

---

From Wikipedia so take with a grain of salt but impressive resume.

Not pulling any punches there.

HOWEVER....

SpreadsheetAg said:

---

HOWEVER....

---

Lol.

Anyone that has been in federal court knows when the judge is asking hard questions, they're considering how to rule. When they say things like, "C'mon man!" its time to tuck tail and run.

Mueller just got nuked today. Wonder what the minute entry on the docket will say.

Quote:

---

Anyone that has been in federal court knows when the judge is asking hard questions, they're considering how to rule. When they say things like, "C'mon man!" its time to tuck tail and run.

Mueller just got nuked today. Wonder what the minute entry on the docket will say.

---

Hope you're right.