[h=2]'This is the single greatest witch hunt': Trump rails on Twitter that Hillary and Obama never had a 'special councel for their illegal acts'. (He probably means counsel)[/h]
President Trump railed against his Justice Department's decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. 'With all the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel appointed!' the president wrote first thing Thursday morning, misspelling 'counsel.'
[h=1]'This is the single greatest witch hunt': Trump rails on Twitter that Hillary and Obama never had a 'special councel for their illegal acts'. (He probably means counsel)[/h]
- The Justice Department has named a special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election
- Longtime former FBI Director Robert Mueller will lead the probe
- Democrats and others have been demanding an independent probe that would be free from possible interference
- Inquiry to probe any links 'between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump'
- Attorney General Jeff Sessions has said he will recuse himself from election investigations, after his own undisclosed meetings with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. were revealed
- Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced the move, saying Mueller would have 'all appropriate resources'
- News broke as Trump was interviewing candidates to be the new FBI director – who will no longer oversee the Russia probe
- Trump has responded vigorously calling the appointment of a special 'councel' a political witch hunt
President Trump railed against his Justice Department's decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign.
'With all the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel appointed!' the president wrote first thing Thursday morning, misspelling 'counsel.'
Trump followed that up with: 'This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!'
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who served a decade and was then reappointed by President Obama, will take over the executive branch investigation.
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President Trump sent out an early Thursday morning tweet griping about the decision his Justice Department made to appoint a special counsel to the Russia investigation
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Trump followed up his initial tweet by proclaiming that the Russia probe is the 'single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history'
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WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 14: FBI Director Robert Mueller III testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during a oversight hearing on Capitol Hill December 14, 2011 in Washington, DC. Mueller testified on the over 2,500 open cases the FBI Corporate and Securities is probing for fraud after they are up close to 50 percent from 2008. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
On Wednesday night, hours after the announcement, Trump struck an equally defiant tone.
'As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know – there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity,' Trump said in a statement released several hours after the news broke Wednesday night.
The Justice Department announced that Mueller would serve as special counsel, and would have 'all appropriate resources' to carry out the probe – during a week when Donald Trump's White House was battered by disclosures about his contacts with the Russians and his firing of former FBI Director James Comey.
The White House has spent weeks batting back efforts to install an independent outsider to lead the Russia probe, saying there are already sufficient probes. As Special Counsel, Mueller will have a wide berth to follow the investigation where he sees fit, and set his own terms for how much information he wants to reveal or withhold.
Democrats in Congress have been pushing for an independent investigation that would be free from interference from Trump administration officials, as well as a special congressional commission that might probe deeper into charges that Russia tried to sway the election through hacking and other means.
It wasn't immediately clear how or whether Trump's contacts with Comey and reported efforts to either steer or inquire about the FBI's Russia probes played a role in the decision.
The White House had repeatedly an independent investigation wasn't needed.
Wednesday night, Trump said he hoped the investigation would be speedy.
'I look forward to this matter concluding quickly,' he said. 'In the meantime, I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country.'
President George W. Bush appointed Mueller to lead the FBI in 2001. He was reappointed by President Obama 10 years later to serve an addition two years. He has a reputation among members of both parties for probity.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced the move Wednesday evening, after getting grilled during his own confirmation hearings about under what circumstances he would be willing to appoint a special counsel.
'In my capacity as acting Attorney General, I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authority and appoint a Special Counsel to assume responsibility for this matter,' Rosenstein said.
'My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted. I have made no such determination. What I have determined is that based upon the unique circumstances, the public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command,' he continued.
'With all the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel appointed!' the president wrote first thing Thursday morning, misspelling 'counsel.'
Trump followed that up with: 'This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!'
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who served a decade and was then reappointed by President Obama, will take over the executive branch investigation.
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President Trump sent out an early Thursday morning tweet griping about the decision his Justice Department made to appoint a special counsel to the Russia investigation
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Trump followed up his initial tweet by proclaiming that the Russia probe is the 'single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history'
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WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 14: FBI Director Robert Mueller III testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during a oversight hearing on Capitol Hill December 14, 2011 in Washington, DC. Mueller testified on the over 2,500 open cases the FBI Corporate and Securities is probing for fraud after they are up close to 50 percent from 2008. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
On Wednesday night, hours after the announcement, Trump struck an equally defiant tone.
'As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know – there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity,' Trump said in a statement released several hours after the news broke Wednesday night.
The Justice Department announced that Mueller would serve as special counsel, and would have 'all appropriate resources' to carry out the probe – during a week when Donald Trump's White House was battered by disclosures about his contacts with the Russians and his firing of former FBI Director James Comey.
The White House has spent weeks batting back efforts to install an independent outsider to lead the Russia probe, saying there are already sufficient probes. As Special Counsel, Mueller will have a wide berth to follow the investigation where he sees fit, and set his own terms for how much information he wants to reveal or withhold.
Democrats in Congress have been pushing for an independent investigation that would be free from interference from Trump administration officials, as well as a special congressional commission that might probe deeper into charges that Russia tried to sway the election through hacking and other means.
It wasn't immediately clear how or whether Trump's contacts with Comey and reported efforts to either steer or inquire about the FBI's Russia probes played a role in the decision.
The White House had repeatedly an independent investigation wasn't needed.
Wednesday night, Trump said he hoped the investigation would be speedy.
'I look forward to this matter concluding quickly,' he said. 'In the meantime, I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country.'
President George W. Bush appointed Mueller to lead the FBI in 2001. He was reappointed by President Obama 10 years later to serve an addition two years. He has a reputation among members of both parties for probity.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced the move Wednesday evening, after getting grilled during his own confirmation hearings about under what circumstances he would be willing to appoint a special counsel.
'In my capacity as acting Attorney General, I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authority and appoint a Special Counsel to assume responsibility for this matter,' Rosenstein said.
'My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted. I have made no such determination. What I have determined is that based upon the unique circumstances, the public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command,' he continued.
Rosenstein added, 'Each year, the career professionals of the U.S. Department of Justice conduct tens of thousands of criminal investigations and handle countless other matters without regard to partisan political considerations.'
He continued: 'I have great confidence in the independence and integrity of our people and our processes. Considering the unique circumstances of this matter, however, I determined that a Special Counsel is necessary in order for the American people to have full confidence in the outcome.'
'Our nation is grounded on the rule of law, and the public must be assured that government officials administer the law fairly. Special Counsel Mueller will have all appropriate resources to conduct a thorough and complete investigation, and I am confident that he will follow the facts, apply the law and reach a just result,' he added.
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Robert S. Mueller III, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), speaks at the International Conference on Cyber Security (ICCS) on August 8, 2013 in New York City. The ICCS, which is co-hosted by Fordham University and the FBI, is held every 18 months; more than 25 countries are represented at this year's conference
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A letter appointing Mueller as special counsel charges him with investigating links 'between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump'
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Sen. John McCain compared Trump scandals to Watergate in scope in comments Tuesday, where he also referenced Iran-Contra
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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US President Donald Trump, and Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak (L-R) talking during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House
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In this Sept. 4, 2013, file photo, then-incoming FBI Director James Comey talks with outgoing FBI Director Robert Mueller before Comey was officially sworn in at the Justice Department in Washington
Rosenstsein's letter tasks Mueller with investigating links 'between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump.'
The wide scope also includes 'any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation' – which would appear to include any efforts Trump may have made to interfere with the FBI's investigation of National Security Advisor Mike Flynn.
'I accept this responsibility and will discharge it to the best of my ability,' Mueller said in a statement.
Rosenstein didn't inform the White House or the Attorney General of the decision until after he had signed the order, CNN reported.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions was spotted at the White House about 5 pm Wednesday, about an hour before the news broke.
It wasn't immediately clear what Sessions was doing at the White House. In response to an inquiry from DailyMail.com, a DOJ official said: The White House was informed after the order was signed as was the attorney general.
In Mueller, the department has tapped a counsel with a reputation for probity.
The soon-to-be special counsel was born outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and earned degrees from Princeton, New York University and the University of Virginia.
A decorated war veteran, he served as a Marine in Vietnam and came home with a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and two Navy commendation medals.
Mueller took over the helm of the FBI in 2001. In July, after he was nominated by then President George W. Bush, the Justice Department announced that he had prostate cancer and would undergo surgery.
He continued: 'I have great confidence in the independence and integrity of our people and our processes. Considering the unique circumstances of this matter, however, I determined that a Special Counsel is necessary in order for the American people to have full confidence in the outcome.'
'Our nation is grounded on the rule of law, and the public must be assured that government officials administer the law fairly. Special Counsel Mueller will have all appropriate resources to conduct a thorough and complete investigation, and I am confident that he will follow the facts, apply the law and reach a just result,' he added.
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Robert S. Mueller III, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), speaks at the International Conference on Cyber Security (ICCS) on August 8, 2013 in New York City. The ICCS, which is co-hosted by Fordham University and the FBI, is held every 18 months; more than 25 countries are represented at this year's conference
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A letter appointing Mueller as special counsel charges him with investigating links 'between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump'
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Sen. John McCain compared Trump scandals to Watergate in scope in comments Tuesday, where he also referenced Iran-Contra
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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US President Donald Trump, and Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak (L-R) talking during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House
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In this Sept. 4, 2013, file photo, then-incoming FBI Director James Comey talks with outgoing FBI Director Robert Mueller before Comey was officially sworn in at the Justice Department in Washington
Rosenstsein's letter tasks Mueller with investigating links 'between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump.'
The wide scope also includes 'any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation' – which would appear to include any efforts Trump may have made to interfere with the FBI's investigation of National Security Advisor Mike Flynn.
'I accept this responsibility and will discharge it to the best of my ability,' Mueller said in a statement.
Rosenstein didn't inform the White House or the Attorney General of the decision until after he had signed the order, CNN reported.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions was spotted at the White House about 5 pm Wednesday, about an hour before the news broke.
It wasn't immediately clear what Sessions was doing at the White House. In response to an inquiry from DailyMail.com, a DOJ official said: The White House was informed after the order was signed as was the attorney general.
In Mueller, the department has tapped a counsel with a reputation for probity.
The soon-to-be special counsel was born outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and earned degrees from Princeton, New York University and the University of Virginia.
A decorated war veteran, he served as a Marine in Vietnam and came home with a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and two Navy commendation medals.
Mueller took over the helm of the FBI in 2001. In July, after he was nominated by then President George W. Bush, the Justice Department announced that he had prostate cancer and would undergo surgery.
That surgery was scheduled for three days after his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
His nomination passed unanimously on the Senate floor on August 2, 2001, 98-0.
Mueller didn't fully step into the job until September 4, 2001, a week before the Sept. 11, terror attacks.
Democrats have been calling for an independent probe of Moscow's alleged election interference since the existence of the FBI's Russia probe was reported and then confirmed by ex FBI Director Mueller during Trump's first 100 days in office.
The calls only increased after Trump sacked Comey last week. The president said in an NBC interview that the FBI's Russia probe, which he has called a 'hoax,' was on his mind when he decided to fire Comey.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that according to a memo written by Comey, Trump had asked Comey to back off in the FBI's probe of ex national security advisor Mike Flynn, whose own Russia connections are under investigation.
Flynn and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort have emerged as key figures in the sprawling FBI investigation, NBC News reported.
Although Republicans have provided considerable cover for Trump, there were early stirrings of more aggressive oversight on Wednesday.
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House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, speaks during a press conference after a classified meeting of the committee in which they reviewed documents related to former national security adviser Michael Flynn in the Capitol on Tuesday, April 25, 2017
House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, who has been criticized by committee Democrats for not taking an aggressive investigative stance toward the Trump administration, wrote the FBI on Tuesday seeking copies of 'any and all documentation the fired FBI director James Comey kept of his communications with President Donald Trump.'
The Senate Intelligence Committee, which has its own investigation of alleged Russian election interference, also wants Comey to appear in closed and open session.
It asked acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe to hand over any notes Comey has of conversations between the White House and Justice Department officials about the Russia probe.
Still another panel, the Senate Judiciary Committee, is also seeking documents.
Panel chair Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa and ranking Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California wrote the Justice Department and the White House on Wednesday seeking documents.
Democrats, for the most part, greeted the development positively.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who worked under President Obama, called Mueller 'Incorruptible.'
'As long as his charter is appropriate defined and he is properly resourced, this is a good move.'
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware sent out a bevvy of tweets praising Mueller.
'Director Mueller helps restore confidence in the independence and integrity of the ongoing investigation into Russian interference,' he wrote, calling the ex-FBI head a 'strong choice.'
Some Democratic lawmakers, while praising the choice of Mueller, again pointed a finger at the Trump administration and demanded that the probe be given proper resources.
'And now that the Justice Department has rightly turned the reins of the investigation over to an independent special prosecutor, it is critical that former Director Mueller is given the resources he needs to get to the bottom of Russia’s attack on our democracy, without any interference from the Trump administration,' said Sen. Al Franken, a Democrat from Minnesota.
Republicans' responses were more mixed.
Sen. Lamar Alexander praised Mueller's 'independence and integrity' while working with both Presidents Bush and Obama.
'Which are exactly the qualities needed to pursue the Russia investigation to its conclusion,' Alexander said.
The Tennessee lawmaker also urged the Senate to continue its investigation and bring ex-FBI director Comey before Congress.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said nothing to Mueller's character, but pledged the Senate's probe would go on, and said appointing a special prosecutor ensures the FBI's investigation 'will continue.'
House Speaker Paul Ryan said, 'My priority has been to ensure thorough and independent investigations are allowed to follow the facts wherever they may lead.'
'That is what we’ve been doing here in the House,' he continued. 'The addition of Robert Mueller as special counsel is consistent with this goal, and I welcome his role at the Department of Justice.'
The House's 'important ongoing bipartisan investigation,' Ryan also said, will continue.
[h=3]MUELLER'S ROLE IN WASHINGTON'S MOST-TOLD STORY ABOUT JIM COMEY[/h]During Mueller's tenure at the top of the FBI, he was involved in one of the most memorable parts of his successor Comey's biography.
As the story goes, Comey – whose firing last week by President Trump teed of the White House's most recent troubles – received a call in 2004 informing him that President Bush's White House counsel Alberto Gonzales and Chief of Staff Andrew Card were heading to the intensive care unit where Comey's boss, John Ashcroft, the attorney general, lay ill.
Gonzales and Card wanted Ashcroft to sign off on a reauthorization of President Bush's warrantless eavesdropping program, which the Republican president had signed off on in the aftermath of 9/11.
The Justice Department had just deemed the program illegal.
Comey, serving as the deputy attorney general, alerted Mueller and then rushed to Ashcroft's hospital bed, barely beating Gonzales and Card, according to an account from the Washington Post.
Ashcroft, at that time, refused to sign.
The White House officials eventually stood down, when Bush relented, after both Mueller and Comey, along with Ashcroft, threatened to resign.
His nomination passed unanimously on the Senate floor on August 2, 2001, 98-0.
Mueller didn't fully step into the job until September 4, 2001, a week before the Sept. 11, terror attacks.
Democrats have been calling for an independent probe of Moscow's alleged election interference since the existence of the FBI's Russia probe was reported and then confirmed by ex FBI Director Mueller during Trump's first 100 days in office.
The calls only increased after Trump sacked Comey last week. The president said in an NBC interview that the FBI's Russia probe, which he has called a 'hoax,' was on his mind when he decided to fire Comey.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that according to a memo written by Comey, Trump had asked Comey to back off in the FBI's probe of ex national security advisor Mike Flynn, whose own Russia connections are under investigation.
Flynn and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort have emerged as key figures in the sprawling FBI investigation, NBC News reported.
Although Republicans have provided considerable cover for Trump, there were early stirrings of more aggressive oversight on Wednesday.
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House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, speaks during a press conference after a classified meeting of the committee in which they reviewed documents related to former national security adviser Michael Flynn in the Capitol on Tuesday, April 25, 2017
House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, who has been criticized by committee Democrats for not taking an aggressive investigative stance toward the Trump administration, wrote the FBI on Tuesday seeking copies of 'any and all documentation the fired FBI director James Comey kept of his communications with President Donald Trump.'
The Senate Intelligence Committee, which has its own investigation of alleged Russian election interference, also wants Comey to appear in closed and open session.
It asked acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe to hand over any notes Comey has of conversations between the White House and Justice Department officials about the Russia probe.
Still another panel, the Senate Judiciary Committee, is also seeking documents.
Panel chair Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa and ranking Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California wrote the Justice Department and the White House on Wednesday seeking documents.
Democrats, for the most part, greeted the development positively.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who worked under President Obama, called Mueller 'Incorruptible.'
'As long as his charter is appropriate defined and he is properly resourced, this is a good move.'
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware sent out a bevvy of tweets praising Mueller.
'Director Mueller helps restore confidence in the independence and integrity of the ongoing investigation into Russian interference,' he wrote, calling the ex-FBI head a 'strong choice.'
Some Democratic lawmakers, while praising the choice of Mueller, again pointed a finger at the Trump administration and demanded that the probe be given proper resources.
'And now that the Justice Department has rightly turned the reins of the investigation over to an independent special prosecutor, it is critical that former Director Mueller is given the resources he needs to get to the bottom of Russia’s attack on our democracy, without any interference from the Trump administration,' said Sen. Al Franken, a Democrat from Minnesota.
Republicans' responses were more mixed.
Sen. Lamar Alexander praised Mueller's 'independence and integrity' while working with both Presidents Bush and Obama.
'Which are exactly the qualities needed to pursue the Russia investigation to its conclusion,' Alexander said.
The Tennessee lawmaker also urged the Senate to continue its investigation and bring ex-FBI director Comey before Congress.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said nothing to Mueller's character, but pledged the Senate's probe would go on, and said appointing a special prosecutor ensures the FBI's investigation 'will continue.'
House Speaker Paul Ryan said, 'My priority has been to ensure thorough and independent investigations are allowed to follow the facts wherever they may lead.'
'That is what we’ve been doing here in the House,' he continued. 'The addition of Robert Mueller as special counsel is consistent with this goal, and I welcome his role at the Department of Justice.'
The House's 'important ongoing bipartisan investigation,' Ryan also said, will continue.
[h=3]MUELLER'S ROLE IN WASHINGTON'S MOST-TOLD STORY ABOUT JIM COMEY[/h]During Mueller's tenure at the top of the FBI, he was involved in one of the most memorable parts of his successor Comey's biography.
As the story goes, Comey – whose firing last week by President Trump teed of the White House's most recent troubles – received a call in 2004 informing him that President Bush's White House counsel Alberto Gonzales and Chief of Staff Andrew Card were heading to the intensive care unit where Comey's boss, John Ashcroft, the attorney general, lay ill.
Gonzales and Card wanted Ashcroft to sign off on a reauthorization of President Bush's warrantless eavesdropping program, which the Republican president had signed off on in the aftermath of 9/11.
The Justice Department had just deemed the program illegal.
Comey, serving as the deputy attorney general, alerted Mueller and then rushed to Ashcroft's hospital bed, barely beating Gonzales and Card, according to an account from the Washington Post.
Ashcroft, at that time, refused to sign.
The White House officials eventually stood down, when Bush relented, after both Mueller and Comey, along with Ashcroft, threatened to resign.
[h=1]Trump turns back to his campaign aides amid drama[/h]
- President Trump's fired former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was spotted in the West Wing this week amid turmoil over the firing of FBI Director James Comey
- David Bossie, a prominent Trump backer who joined the campaign from Citizens United, sat in on a White House meeting
- Jason Miller, who suddenly stepped back after being named to be Trump's communications director, has also been visiting and chatting with Trump
With his White House in turmoil, President Trump is turning to some of the aides who helped guide his successful, but also bumpy, campaign.
Corey Lewandowski, who served as Trump's campaign manager through the primaries until he got pushed out, was spotted in a West Wing lobby Tuesday, Politico reported – on a day when the White House was contending with a bombshell report that Trump gave highly classified information to top Russian officials in an Oval Office meeting.
Lewandowski had co-founded a lobbying firm, Avenue Strategies, near the White House, but then resigned from it after failing to register as a lobbyist. A White House official told the publication Trump had floated the idea of bringing Lewandowski back.
Jason Miller, who had been in line to be Trump's White House communications director, has also frequently been around the White House to provide guidance about Trump's struggling press operation.
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ON A ROLL: Corey Lewandowski, center left, and David Bossie, center right, wait to greet President Donald Trump during the 139th Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on Monday, April 17, 2017. The president has also been turning to former aides for counsel as his White House goes through turmoil
He appears frequently on CNN, and on Thursday urged caution following a report that fired National Security advisor Mike Flynn told transition staff he was under FBI investigation.
'We don’t know exactly what Gen. Flynn said to members of the legal team on the transition,' Miller cautioned.
The president has publicly mused about canceling press briefings altogether and possibly handling the duties himself during b-weekly press conferences.
Both Lewandowski and Miller played key roles in Trump's successful campaign, but ended up on the outside.
Lewandowski ended up in the spotlight as Trump's primary campaign wore on, sometimes clashing with reporters, battling internally with then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and at one point getting in a shouting match on the street in Manhattan with campaign press secretary Hope Hicks.
Corey Lewandowski, who served as Trump's campaign manager through the primaries until he got pushed out, was spotted in a West Wing lobby Tuesday, Politico reported – on a day when the White House was contending with a bombshell report that Trump gave highly classified information to top Russian officials in an Oval Office meeting.
Lewandowski had co-founded a lobbying firm, Avenue Strategies, near the White House, but then resigned from it after failing to register as a lobbyist. A White House official told the publication Trump had floated the idea of bringing Lewandowski back.
Jason Miller, who had been in line to be Trump's White House communications director, has also frequently been around the White House to provide guidance about Trump's struggling press operation.
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ON A ROLL: Corey Lewandowski, center left, and David Bossie, center right, wait to greet President Donald Trump during the 139th Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on Monday, April 17, 2017. The president has also been turning to former aides for counsel as his White House goes through turmoil
He appears frequently on CNN, and on Thursday urged caution following a report that fired National Security advisor Mike Flynn told transition staff he was under FBI investigation.
'We don’t know exactly what Gen. Flynn said to members of the legal team on the transition,' Miller cautioned.
The president has publicly mused about canceling press briefings altogether and possibly handling the duties himself during b-weekly press conferences.
Both Lewandowski and Miller played key roles in Trump's successful campaign, but ended up on the outside.
Lewandowski ended up in the spotlight as Trump's primary campaign wore on, sometimes clashing with reporters, battling internally with then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and at one point getting in a shouting match on the street in Manhattan with campaign press secretary Hope Hicks.
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Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with his son Eric Trump, center right, and Corey Lewandowski, campaign manager for Trump, center left, at the Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida
Ivanka Trump ultimately urged that Trump to jettison Lewandowski, who was rumored to have planted negative stories about her husband, Jared Kushner, who is now a White House counselor to Trump.
Miller announced right before Christmas that he wouldn't be serving as Trump's White House communications director, just two days after being publicly named to the post, citing the need to spend more time at home with his family.
'My wife and I are also excited about the arrival of our second daughter in January, and I need to put them in front of my career,' he said at the time.
Less than 24 hours before Miller announced his change of heart, Trump strategist and senior staffer AJ Delgado fired off a series of tweets suggesting there was more to the shock departure than the administration would admit.
'Congratulations to the baby-daddy on being named WH Comms Director!' Delgado wrote in one since-deleted tweet.
She also tweeted: 'When you try to put on a brave face and tweet about nonsense to distract, your feed looks like @Jason MillerinDC's,' adding, 'When people need to resign graciously and refuse to, it's a bit… spooky.'
She also called Miller the '2016 version of John Edwards.'
Also spotted in the White House has been David Bossie, who joined the campaign when he took a leave from Citizens United, which helped unearth damaging information about Hillary Clinton through its legal demands for government documents and bankrolled an anti-Clinton movie.
Bossie sat in on a Monday White House meeting where Trump vented about Spicer and communications director Mike Dubke about the White House response to the president's firing of FBI Director James Comey, a White House official told the publication.
Bossie, a longtime operative, served as Trump's deputy campaign manager. Trump says he has known him for years. But he didn't end up with a White House role and signed a TV gig with Fox News.
Read more:
She also tweeted: 'When you try to put on a brave face and tweet about nonsense to distract, your feed looks like @Jason MillerinDC's,' adding, 'When people need to resign graciously and refuse to, it's a bit… spooky.'
She also called Miller the '2016 version of John Edwards.'
Also spotted in the White House has been David Bossie, who joined the campaign when he took a leave from Citizens United, which helped unearth damaging information about Hillary Clinton through its legal demands for government documents and bankrolled an anti-Clinton movie.
Bossie sat in on a Monday White House meeting where Trump vented about Spicer and communications director Mike Dubke about the White House response to the president's firing of FBI Director James Comey, a White House official told the publication.
Bossie, a longtime operative, served as Trump's deputy campaign manager. Trump says he has known him for years. But he didn't end up with a White House role and signed a TV gig with Fox News.
Read more:
LOL
http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...heartland-doesnt-make-much-sense-anymore/amp/
Gary Cohn Relaunches War on Coal: Fuel from America’s Heartland ‘Doesn’t Make Much Sense Anymore’
by MATTHEW BOYLE 27 May 2017
White House National Economic Council director Gary Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs banking executive, has reopened the U.S. government’s war on coal in direct contravention of directions from President Donald Trump.
“Coal doesn’t even make that much sense anymore as a feedstock,” Cohn said in Europe on Air Force One, while speaking for the White House to the press, the New York Times’ Brad Plumer noted.
“Natural gas, which we have become an abundant producer, which we’re going to become a major exporter is, is such a cleaner fuel,” Cohn continued.
ointer:
haha, this is funny because it is a great example of the type of shit that's being bought and sold on a daily basis
it was in the WP or the NYT or reported by CNN, so it must be true, A?
the fact that the story itself is weakly supported and the fact that a litany of similarly reported weak stories are being debunked on almost a daily basis carries very little weight with far too many people
The Enablers
What argument? There's nothing to debate.
You're posting exclusively "anonymous sources", "leaks", "off-the-record" 4th degree hearsay about classified "memos" that supposedly exist, and other evidence so "damning" no one involved in any actual investigation has produced it. face)(*^%
The "self-written" memos and "notes" are hysterical, but the leaks re classified material (if true) are ILLEGAL - another fact lost on snowflakes.
Once you realize that prior to Jan 2017, Trump had absolutely ZERO power to enact policy, while Crooked Hillary used her office as Secretary of State to enrich herself greatly by selling favors to Russia, it becomes clear what all of the collusion inside our corrupt intel agencies is all about.
Seriously, do you not understand what is going on here?
#DrainTheSwamp
