# Special Counsel appointed in Russia probe. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 17, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876 "2017-05-17T22:24:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/1 "2017-05-17T22:24:16Z")
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller appointed as Special Counsel to investigate Russian meddling in 2016 election. > **[Special counsel appointed in Russia probe | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/17/politics/special-counsel-robert-mueller/index.html)** > > The Justice Department on Wednesday appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to oversee the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including potential collusion between President Donald Trump's ... ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/2 "2017-05-17T22:41:53Z")
My gut feeling is that this doesn’t bode well for Trump. Mueller is an FBI guy who worked closely with Comey, approaches his tasks with a no-nonsense, “just the facts,” demeanor and who isn’t afraid to go up against tough enemies. I believe Mueller will care only about staying on task. And I think Rod Rosenstein just told Trump, “Fuck you!” for throwing him under the bus with that memo. I wonder what Jeff Sessions thinks of all this. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/3 "2017-05-17T22:53:33Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > My gut feeling is that this doesn’t bode well for Trump. Mueller is an FBI guy who worked closely with Comey, approaches his tasks with a no-nonsense, “just the facts,” demeanor and who isn’t afraid to go up against tough enemies. > > I believe Mueller will care only about staying on task. > > \*\*And I think Rod Rosenstein just told Trump, “Fuck you!” for throwing him under the bus with that memo. > > I wonder what Jeff Sessions thinks of all this.\*\* I must be getting very cynical, because my first thought upon hearing the news is that Trump and Sessions are probably getting ready to fire Rosenstein. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/4 "2017-05-17T22:53:59Z")
Reassuring to finally see a part of our government finally arrive at a perfectly normal and rational decision. Good enough choice. Fire Comey? Get about as close to him as you can get as a replacement to investigate the whole mess with increased powers! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/5 "2017-05-17T22:56:29Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I must be getting very cynical, because my first thought upon hearing the news is that Trump and Sessions are probably getting ready to fire Rosenstein. You could be right – but honestly, I doubt Rosenstein would mind at all at this point. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/6 "2017-05-17T23:03:22Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I must be getting very cynical, because my first thought upon hearing the news is that Trump and Sessions are probably getting ready to fire Rosenstein. Wouldn’t surprise me, CNN just reported that Rosenstein started thinking about making the appointment shortly after the Comey firing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/7 "2017-05-17T23:28:02Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I must be getting very cynical, because my first thought upon hearing the news is that Trump and Sessions are probably getting ready to fire Rosenstein. Sessions won’t. He doesn’t want to go to jail. Trump may do it but it may not be long before Rosenstein just resigns to save himself. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/8 "2017-05-18T00:20:05Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I must be getting very cynical, because my first thought upon hearing the news is that Trump and Sessions are probably getting ready to fire Rosenstein. Well,I can think of a very well credentialed man,currently between jobs,legally experienced and once headed a major crime enforcement organization, who could head up that investigation. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/9 "2017-05-18T00:39:30Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Well,I can think of a very well credentialed man,currently between jobs,legally experienced and once headed a major crime enforcement organization, who could head up that investigation. 🙂 LOL, get outta my head! I had the exact same thought… knowing of course that conflicts of interest would keep it from happening. It’s delicious to think of, though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/10 "2017-05-18T01:55:34Z")
I think Trump and his circle are taking some time to think about this, but I think they’re going to come back out of their corner swinging, and it could get very ugly. I get the sense that this is getting closer to the moment of truth in terms of determining the fate of American democracy going forward. This will ultimately come down to how many Republicans fear for their re-election chances and how many actually care enough about preserving America as a democratic republic as sanctioned by our Constitution. Clearly, though, many do not care enough. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/11 "2017-05-18T02:02:43Z")
I’m looking forward to Mueller arguing that Trump has no overriding interest (or whatever) in keeping his tax returns away from the investigation. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/12 "2017-05-18T02:12:14Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I’m looking forward to Mueller arguing that Trump has no overriding interest (or whatever) in keeping his tax returns away from the investigation. That will be fun. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/13 "2017-05-18T02:32:18Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I must be getting very cynical, because my first thought upon hearing the news is that Trump and Sessions are probably getting ready to fire Rosenstein. Sure I hope Trump is ignorant and stupid enough to try and fire Rosenstein, or order Rosenstein to dismiss the special prosecutor. That would only accelerate things at this stage… Anyone want to bet that Trump actually knows very little about Watergate and probably thinks “Saturday night massacre” is a gang killing? His advisors tried to educate him about Watergate but he stopped reading because it didn’t have his name in it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/14 "2017-05-18T03:00:38Z")
My good friend [Ambassador Kosh](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1GF4Gnb-D0) sums up the situation nicely. (Youtube video link) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/15 "2017-05-18T03:05:41Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I wonder what Jeff Sessions thinks of all this. What, me worry? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/16 "2017-05-18T03:10:12Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > What, me worry? LOL, I walked into that one, for sure. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/17 "2017-05-18T03:19:18Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I think Trump and his circle are taking some time to think about this, but I think they’re going to come back out of their corner swinging, and it could get very ugly. I get the sense that this is getting closer to the moment of truth in terms of determining the fate of American democracy going forward. This will ultimately come down to how many Republicans fear for their re-election chances and how many actually care enough about preserving America as a democratic republic as sanctioned by our Constitution. Clearly, though, many do not care enough. I suspect that McGahn has decided to take charge. He’s probably initiating a series of Q&A sessions and giving everyone specific talking points, and basically telling them to do a lot of head nodding on the politics front, rather than trying to come up with anything themselves or otherwise making any waves. I guess we’ll see if he’s able to make Trump go silent on Twitter. If so, then we will be able to comfortably say that Trump has hit 11 on the worrying scale. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/18 "2017-05-18T03:24:19Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > This will ultimately come down to how many Republicans fear for their re-election chances and how many actually care enough about preserving America as a democratic republic as sanctioned by our Constitution. Clearly, though, many do not care enough. If public opinion turns enough then their re-election chances are higher by throwing Trump under the bus than by sticking with him. Trump is the least popular President in history at this stage of his Presidency and a recent poll shows that for the first time a higher percentage of Americans support impeachment that oppose it: > **[More Americans support Trump's impeachment than oppose it for first time,...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-impeachment-poll-latest-majority-americans-remove-president-a7738891.html)** > > The striking results come after Mr Trump dismissed his FBI director without warning There is hope… ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/19 "2017-05-18T03:29:28Z")
I would have thought that Ken Starr would have made Democrats swear off special prosecutors forever. I guess that the opportunity to make a few cheap shots causes memories to become conveniently short. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876/20 "2017-05-18T03:51:31Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > I would have thought that Ken Starr would have made Democrats swear off special prosecutors forever. I guess that the opportunity to make a few cheap shots causes memories to become conveniently short. People like you are incapable of understanding that this is not a partisan issue. If a Democrat President was to do the things that Trump has done I would be howling for their impeachment. Country over party, what Trump is doing is a threat to the basic rule of law in the US. Clinton lying about a blow job was not. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/special-counsel-appointed-in-russia-probe/786876.md?page=2)