Executive Ethics

Donald Trump made himself a television star by firing people. Washington is abuzz today with speculation that he’s about to revive that act in the White House, where it almost certainly would boomerang on him.

To even float the idea of firing Robert Mueller through conservative media outlets is an affront to the most sacred values of our democracy. Despite what the assemblage of ‘yes men’ surrounding President Trump have told him, James Comey’s testimony not only failed to vindicate the President but raised serious concerns that the President of the United States abused his power in an attempt to stop the investigation. Comey’s testimony raised very serious concerns that Trump made a concerted effort to obstruct justice by demanding the fealty of the Director of the FBI before asking him to drop the criminal investigation of disgraced National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

A few days after denying that he requested a personal loyalty pledge from FBI Director James Comey, President Trump on Monday gave Americans what must have been an unintended demonstration of just how much he values loyalty in his associates.

Common Cause members were on the phone early today from Maine to Arizona urging their representatives on the Senate Intelligence Committee to have Attorney General Jeff Sessions testify publicly tomorrow on alleged ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, and the Administration’s efforts to stifle the investigation of possible collusion. The Committee announced a short time ago that Sessions would testimony publicly.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is set to testify at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing tomorrow.

At bars and pubs across Washington this morning, an assortment of political junkies gathered around the flat screens to watch former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee.