How Rod Rosenstein Got Pwnd

Previously, I had done a deep dive into Rod Rosenstein's letter, indicating that it did not do or say what the media had portrayed it as. Today, in his statements to closed committee Congressional meetings, Rosenstein clarified this point.

"My memorandum is not a legal brief; these are not issues of law.
My memorandum is not a finding of official misconduct; the Inspector General will render his judgment about that issue in due course.
My memorandum is not a statement of reasons to justify a for-cause termination.
My memorandum is not a survey of FBI morale or performance.
My memorandum is not a press release.
It is a candid internal memorandum about the FBI Director’s public statements concerning a high-profile criminal investigation."

As I stated then, it was a territorial pissing match between the FBI and DoJ, period. For whatever "wrongs" Comey may have committed, Rosenstein clearly articulated that he was not concerned at any official misconduct, violations of law, or looking to provide the basis of a for-cause termination.

Violating norms are acceptable if there is a reasonable explanation for the violation -- norms, after all, aren't codified laws -- and this is what differentiates Donald's wanton abuse of norms from Comey's departures from them.

"In one of my first meetings with then-Senator Jeff Sessions last winter, we discussed the need for new leadership at the FBI. Among the concerns that I recall were to restore the credibility of the FBI, respect the established authority of the Department of Justice, limit public statements and eliminate leaks."

When Rosenstein presents "credibility" of the FBI as a concern, it comes off as paternalistic: We at the DoJ know what's best for the FBI. Like I said, pissing match.

Rosenstein's apparent chumminess with Donald and Sessions ended up costing him dearly. Donald took advantage of Rosenstein's clear disaffection for Comey's actions and pwnd Rosenstein.

Consider, Rosenstein admits openly that he spoke with Sessions about his feelings over Comey's actions before Sessions would be appointed AG by Donald, and months later Rosenstein would find himself appointed to Deputy AG. I scratch your back, you scratch mine -- what did Rosenstein think would happen when he was asked to pen a memo on his thoughts about Comey?

Rosenstein got pwnd, not realizing that he was being lured into quid pro quo.

Rosenstein's first move to counteract being pwnd was to let it be known publicly that he had threatened to resign unless Donald's team had set the record straight. His second move was to let it be known that Donald was planning to fire Comey before the memo was written.

Neither of those actions relieved the taint, however, of possible quid pro quo.

His appointment of a special counsel to oversee the investigations involving Donald and his campaign was the third move and the one that likely removes the stench from stepping into the pig pen.

All this drama because of Rosenstein's territorial pissing match.