Tuesday, July 25, 2017

No one should waste sympathy on Jeff Sessions because he and Donald Trump have histories of shady dealings, like two snakes who deserve each other


Jeff Sessions
Some Republicans are trying to rally around Jeff Sessions after Donald Trump directed withering criticism at his attorney general for recusing himself in the Russia investigation, opening the door for the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Support for Sessions in far-right circles perhaps has grown amid reports that Trump referred to his AG as "beleaguered" and is considering Rudy Guiliani as a replacement.

This morning, Trump even blasted his AG for having a "very weak position" on prosecuting Hillary Clinton's "crimes." CNN responded with an article saying Trump's public bullying of Sessions was embarrassing.

If you are thinking about extending your sympathy to Sessions, don't bother, says Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin -- and she's a conservative. In an op-ed piece titled "Don't Waste Your Sympathy On Sessions," Rubin says Sessions entered the Trump hornet's nest with his eyes wide open. And besides, the two are a lot alike. Writes Rubin:

Republicans are rallying around Sessions, whispering that he has been humiliated and suggesting that Trump is undeserving of such a loyal adviser. Sorry, but this is a pair who deserve one another. Sessions knew exactly what he was getting into when he teamed up with a candidate who insulted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and POWs and attacked a federal court judge on the grounds that his ethnicity prevented him from doing his job. Sessions apparently didn’t think anything was amiss when Trump invited the Russians to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails. Sessions was willing to stick by him after the “Access Hollywood” tape revelation. Once in office, Sessions did not flinch when Trump impugned our intelligence services, gave code-word classified information to the Russian foreign minister and fired the FBI director. Sessions violated the broad language of his recusal to participate in James B. Comey’s firing and incorporated by reference Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein’s absurd, pretextual memo saying that Comey treated Clinton unfairly. Sessions isn’t motivated to quit or sound the alarm bell when Trump threatens Comey, lies about tapes or attempts to intimidate the special counsel.

Ouch! As you can tell, Rubin is not one to pull punches. She proceeds to land a few more solid blows, which tend to hit right in the solar plexus:

Sessions is the last person who deserves our sympathy. He was willing to sell his political soul to enable Trump, and he has enabled him every step of the way. Unlike Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who plays a vital role in insulating the military from Trump and literally preventing nuclear war, Sessions is not maintaining the integrity of the Justice Department. He has normalized and rationalized conduct that flies in face of the rule of law.

As Bob Bauer put it in commenting on the interview in which Trump degraded Sessions, “The President displays an ethical posture defined by a narrow and intense concern with his own interests. This is an ethics that may have served him well in business. However, it will have disastrous consequences when carried over into the exercise of his public responsibility as President—a duty to act on behalf of others.” And Sessions sees nothing is amiss? He thinks it is appropriate to lay down a “red line” with a special counsel, threatening to fire him if he (as is essential) explores Trump’s finances to determine illegality and/or ways in which Trump might have been compromised?

That sound you hear is me, grinning from ear to ear. I like this woman, Ms. Rubin. She sees Sessions for what he is -- a con artist, with the kind of misguided "moral compass" that has given Alabama one of the nation's most corrupt justice systems. Now, Sessions is on his way to doing the same thing for the entire country. From Rubin:

Sessions, precisely because he was close to Trump and the darling of the far right, at any point along the way could have taken a principled stand, refused to participate in Trump’s efforts to shut down the Russia investigation and decried efforts to bully the special counsel — who was appointed by his own department (by Rosenstein in the wake of Sessions’s recusal). No, we have zero sympathy for Sessions. He is no victim; he’s a perpetrator.

Jeff Sessions take a principled stand? He wouldn't begin to know how. His whole career has been built on one flim-flam after another. He is Alabama's gifted flim-flam man, and the whole country is getting to "enjoy" him -- hopefully, for only a little while longer. Then, perhaps, we can look forward to his indictment.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Most accurate portrayal I've ever read of Jeff Sessions.

Anonymous said...

It's funny that Sessions got in trouble with Trump for the one correct and decent thing he's done as AG.

legalschnauzer said...

@1:28 --

Good point. Shows that Trump doesn't want competent individuals around him -- he wants ass kissers. My God, the man appointed Rick Perry as Secretary of State.

Anonymous said...

Jennifer Rubin rocks!

legalschnauzer said...

The thing I like about Ms. Rubin's op-ed piece is that she shows Sessions is a bad AG, but he's still not bad enough to suit Trump.

The key point she's making, I think: Sessions is a horrible AG, and Trump is an even worse president.

Anonymous said...

Trump must know Sessions has a mountain of dirt he can unload on him. "The Cheeto" apparently has considered that or is so desperate that he just doesn't care.

Anonymous said...

@1:43 --

I'm guessing Trump also has a mountain of dirt, on Sessions. It might be the "gay/Bill Pryor" form of dirt. Again, two snakes going at each other.

Anonymous said...

My favorite part of Ms. Rubin's piece:

"Sorry, but this is a pair who deserve one another. Sessions knew exactly what he was getting into when he teamed up with a candidate who insulted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and POWs and attacked a federal court judge on the grounds that his ethnicity prevented him from doing his job. Sessions apparently didn’t think anything was amiss when Trump invited the Russians to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails. Sessions was willing to stick by him after the “Access Hollywood” tape revelation. Once in office, Sessions did not flinch when Trump impugned our intelligence services, gave code-word classified information to the Russian foreign minister and fired the FBI director."


So true, so true.

legalschnauzer said...

@3:47 --

That's my favorite part, too. This shows Trump as his narcissistic worst, and Sessions embraced it, instead of running from it. I worked for a wildly narcissistic boss for about 10 years at UAB, so this hits close to home. I had an insightful co-worker warn me about 5-6 years into my term under this boss that she (the boss) was a dangerous narcissist and gave me several examples of behavior pointing in that direction. I didn't think much of the warning at the time, but boy, did my co-worker prove to be correct.

Anonymous said...

I know a number of Democrats in Mobile area who once were targeted by Sessions for political reasons, and they are enjoying the hell out of this. They are pulling for Trump all the way, but they are hoping Trump will turn Sessions into a lifeless, bloody mess before dumping him on the side of the road for buzzards to eat.

Anonymous said...

If Jeffy gets fired, maybe he'll have more time for late-night visits to Bill Pryor's house.

legalschnauzer said...

Speaking of Pryor, he and Sessions have been pushing hard for Kevin Newsom, of Bradley Arant, to be appointed to 11th Circuit. With Trump obviously pissed at Sessions (and probably, by extension, Pryor), perhaps the Newsom nomination is headed for the dumper?

BTW, multiple sources tell me that Pryor and Newsom have an exceptionally close relationship -- if you get my drift.

Anonymous said...

Aboard the Eliza Battle the crew was discussing the disappearance of Lt McDonald. Sheldon asked why Senator Mccain would suppress information about the POW/MIA issue. Captain Marshall replied that the microfilm at the Library of Congress contains documents from the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Command. Senator Mccain's father was the Commander and would have known the truth about the missing pilots from Vma aw 224. Protecting the family name would influence Senator Mccain's decisions. Mary Mac asked if Lt McDonald was a prisoner in Russia. The Captain replied that Lt McDonald and eight other Americans were taken to Sweden. The Truth of what happened to Lt McDonald will be recorded on the pages of History eventually.

Anonymous said...

I am starting to believe this Trump/Sessions thing is nothing more than a collusion between the two. Sessions is busy removing worker rights, removing regulations from energy, water, and whatever else, i.e., refusing grants to cities that offer refuge to immigrants, soon to be focused on changing marijuana laws. Whatever mean spirited thing can be done...he's doing it. Meanwhile Trump is happy about these things but needs to convince the Russians he is doing everything he can to remove him from office. Don't listen to what Trump says...watch what he does.

Anonymous said...

Would you like to know what Jeff is thinking about now? "I haven't been f**ked like this since those late night visits with old friend Bill" I give Jeff credit, he's taking it right up the a** like a good republican gay man should. He's making us proud here in Alabama for sure.

legalschnauzer said...

@7:40 --

Your comment made me spew water out of my nose! What a hoot!

"He's taking it right up the a** like a good Republican gay man should . . . "

Stop it, you're killing me.

legalschnauzer said...

@7:40 --

Thanks for a very interesting comment. You see this as an orchestrated charade, designed to fool both the American public and the Russians. You might very well be right. FWIW, I long have suspected Sessions knew the election was rigged for Trump when he signed up. I think that's why Sessions gave up a safe Senate seat; he knew Trump was going to win via a cheat job. If that's the case, he and Trump have mountains of dirt on each other, so they have to stick together. That makes your scenario even more likely.