Nixon Forces Firing of Cox; Richardson, Ruckelshaus Quit

[truth_seeker]

Nixon Forces Firing of Cox; Richardson, Ruckelshaus Quit
President Abolishes Prosecutor's Office; FBI Seals Records

By Carroll Kilpatrick  | Washington Post Staff Writer | Sunday, October 21, 1973; Page A01

In the most traumatic government upheaval of the Watergate crisis, President Nixon yesterday discharged Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox and accepted the resignations of Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus.

The President also abolished the office of the special prosecutor and turned over to the Justice Department the entire responsibility for further investigation and prosecution of suspects and defendants in Watergate and related cases.

Shortly after the White House announcement, FBI agents sealed off the offices of Richardson and Ruckelshaus in the Justice Department and at Cox's headquarters in an office building on K Street NW.

An FBI spokesman said the agents moved in "at the request of the White House."

snip

aka: "Saturday Night Massacre"
   
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/102173-2.htm

[truth_seeker]

Let us assume that the FISA warrant was obtained by corrupt people for corrupt purposes, as many factors point towards.

If Trump were to order Sessions, or Rosenstein to fire Mueller, wouldn't it be okay?

[Frank Cannon]

Shit! Nixon is firing people in Justice! And Agnew resigning last week this is all too much to take.

[Concerned]

Let us assume that the FISA warrant was obtained by corrupt people for corrupt purposes, as many factors point towards.

If Trump were to order Sessions, or Rosenstein to fire Mueller, wouldn't it be okay?

With Session recused, current Federal Regulations indicate that Mueller can only be fired by Rosenstein.  Based on his testimony before Congress, he said he would only fire Mueller for cause (and per the Fed Regs) and he saw no such cause at the time of his testimony (and has had no discussions with Trump about firing Mueller).  If ordered to fire Mueller without cause, I think Rosenstein would almost certainly resign.  JMO.

As someone else pointed out, Trump could conceivably rescind the current Federal Regulation specifying how the special counsel can be fired and then personally fire Mueller, but this could create the proverbial "Constitutional Crisis".   Given this is a year with a mid-term election with the possibility of the Dems taking over the House, this strategy would seem to be particularly reckless IMO.