The Timing of the Sessions Leak and Trump's NY Times Interview Are NOT a Coincidence

[TomCADem]

Trump is trying to force Sessions to resign, so that he can appoint a new AG who is loyal and who is not recused from the Russia investigation. Then, that new AG will then fire Mueller based on all of the RW talking points that have been raised against Mueller. This is all part of Trump's effort to shut down the Special Counsel investigation.

Otherwise, Trump would need to fire Rosenstein and go on down the line until he found his very own Robert Bork to fire Mueller.

[Catmusicfan]

1. Your right. This is Very Deliberate planning.

[writes3000]

2. I don't think Trump leaked the Sessions story BUT...

I do think he knew it was about to be reported. I believe the Post reporters who say they've been working on this story for months. One of Trump's tricks is to speak about something ahead of time so he seems SO psychic. Trump's dissing of Sessions' testimony is a tell that he knew this story was coming.

[Jersey Devil]

5. Why would the Russians leak the Sessions story unless Trump asked them to do it.

This is the meaning of "collusion"

[writes3000]

6. Who said the Russians leaked the story? Might be someone in the CIA.

I just don't think it was the Trump campaign. It ultimately makes the collusion momentum stronger not weaker. That hurts Sessions AND Trump.

[Alice11111]

9. It might be a 400 pound man sitting in his bed...

[tableturner]

19. Good one! I think that's funny! But wait....couldn't he weigh 350.....why did Trump choose 400?

I always find the "400" funny.

[Alice11111]

20. Projection...that's how he sees himself leaking and tweeting,

but he pumped the weight a bit...thinking that he would throw us off.

[pnwmom]

12. We can believe the WA Post reporter AND believe that DT deliberately leaked the story. Here's how.

Months ago the WA Post had the Sessions story based on a certain set of sources. Then this week they probably got a call from someone in the WH telling them the story. They realized that if this WH official was calling them, s/he was calling other media sources, too. So they took the Sessions story they'd been sitting on and reported it before anyone else could -- with at least one additional source to add to the ones they already had.

[Alice11111]

23. I agree. We now have DT & Sessions in a duel

[oxbow]

3. That's what I assumed

If it happens, we have to rely on republicans to authorize an independent investigation. Get ready for a real-life constitutional crisis...

[inwiththenew]

4. That was my first thought

This finally comes out right on the heels of Trump saying he wouldn't have hired Sessions if he knew he'd recuse himself? Hmmmm

[SergeStorms]

24. How was Sessions to know......

that he'd HAVE TO recuse himself? At that time there was no official investigation into the Russian cluster-fuck. Trump is insinuating that Sessions should have known........how, exactly?

[TomCADem]

26. Because Trump Himself Knew About The Russian Outreach...

...what Trump and Sessions did not anticipate was that U.S. intelligence would catch the Russian Ambassador talking to Russian officials about the conversation. Of course, this intercept was highly secret and was only disclosed to Sessions once he was AG. Afterall, the U.S. probably does not want it to be well known that they can intercept such highly secured communications. Then, he had to recuse himself. This is also why Comey knew as a certainty that Sessions would need to recuse himself.

[OnDoutside]

28. 100% agree with you, and surely Sessions knows that Trump

is behind this leak. If that is true, it opens up the possibility of Sessions doing a deal with Mueller, to get revenge. Sessions is into revenge.

[Alice11111]

7. Absolutely! So much for loyalty to his KKK Elf. Now, ironically,

we need Sessions to stay. This is kind of like the Comey firing. Flip flops.

[jberryhill]

8. Isn't it normal to seek comment before running a story?

[herding cats]

15. It is, and apparently they did.

Thus this per the article:

“Obviously I cannot comment on the reliability of what anonymous sources describe in a wholly uncorroborated intelligence intercept that the Washington Post has not seen and that has not been provided to me,” said Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokeswoman in a statement. She reiterated that Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.

[DesertRat]

10. Yes

I think that Kislyak knows he's being monitored and is intentionally putting Sessions under fire, which will lead to Sessions resigning, allowing Trump to hire someone who "doesn't have a conflict of interest." This will mean Mueller is unnecessary and they can "fire" him, leaving the new AG to lead the investigation and mysteriously find nothing wrong. Just sayin - if Sessions leaves, Mueller is probably gone.

[writes3000]

11. But you know Wash Post reporters have been researching this story for months.

This isn't a recent find.

[Justice]

33. WP reporter said had this info since early June. But didn't report it until now. Maybe

need some confirmation from WH for it and maybe WH just decided to give it.

[Honeycombe8]

13. I do think that, too. BUT, someone in the Senate said today...

that they would not be confirming a new AG. I don't know if he meant the Repubs wouldn't, or if there were enough votes not to confirm, or if they'd delay it so long that it wouldn't be productive for Trump.

That's why in another thread I ask about whether Trump can name his own DEPUTY AG, which doesn't require confirmation. He could replace Rosenstein with a Trump loyalist, THEN fire Sessions, so the new Deputy becomes the Acting AG. And fires Mueller.

[TomCADem]

18. Please. Senate Republicans Are In On It. Look at Grassley

He cancelled the Manafort and Kushner hearings at Trump's behest, and will instead be holding a kangaroo court hearing to push the theory that Hillary conspired with the Russians to sabotage her own campaign.

[Honeycombe8]

21. Maybe he meant they have the votes..only 2 Republicans are needed?

OR the Dems can delay it long enough so that it's not a way for Trump to fire Mueller any time soon.

[SergeStorms]

25. I think the Democrats.....

will filibuster the SHIT out of any hearings to a point where the investigations will be finished before a new AG is confirmed. And a new Deputy AG would have to be appointed by the incoming AG AFTER he was confirmed. Trump could go on down the line of officials in the AG's hierarchy until he found one who MIGHT fire Mueller, but I think the chances of that are slim.

[Honeycombe8]

31. Maybe that's what he meant. Whatever they do, I feel better that they'll do SOMETHING. nt

[Honeycombe8]

14. The irony is that Sessions offered to resign previously.

After he recused himself, he offered to resign, but Trump said no. Trump screwed up there.

Looks like Sessions doesn't want to resign NOW.

[TeamPooka]

16. hahaha Sessions gave up his forever for life Senate seat for this clown. lol

[Honeycombe8]

22. "Blind Ambition." nt

[Dopers_Greed]

17. You're right, but this could backfire on Trump

If Trump is ultimately unable to stop the investigation, he still has thrown Sessions completely under the bus. I think Mueller could make him flip on Trump in that situation.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

27. Certainly makes sense... all the more reason for impeachment.

[Squinch]

29. And they come right after the unchaperoned Putin playdate, and they are moves that are

just a little too slick for me to believe that little Donnie(R) came up with them himself.

[Pachamama]

30. It is a reasonable theory and conclusion, however I think its a different coincidence & reason:

I believe its the Intel community and Mueller reminding Jeff Sessions what they know and reminding him to choose wisely. I believe that Jeffy already knows that they know what he did last summer and he needs to either stick with Comrade Trumpsky and do what Trump wants (resign) so that he can fire Mueller, OR that he chooses to stay on as AG (forcing Trumpsky to fire him and get himself a new AG and get started on the Justice Dept massacre) and that he then works with and cooperates with Mueller and testify against Trumpsky (maybe also Pence?) and in exchange he does less time in Jail....

I think that Jeffrey Beauregard should be having lunch with John Dean if he hasn't already....

[L. Coyote]

32. Reading tea leaves is a hazardous profession.

They lie almost as often as Republicans

[Pathwalker]

34. He hopes to make a recess appointment, without confirmation.

During summer recess, he can do this, and get the new A.G. to fire Mueller. Boom! Do it while everyone's out of town.