After what feels like a never ending saga of news stories about President Trump’s potential collusion with Russia during the 2016 presidential election, it is often hard to tell what will actually have an effect. Trump has survived the exposure of scandalous emails, the arrest of a former campaign advisor and much, much more. The newest development, however, may be the most consequential of all.
The New York Times has reported that Trump ordered the firing of Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller last July. Mueller was appointed after Trump fired FBI director James Comey in May of 2017. White House counsel Don McGahn refused to ask the Justice Department to fire Mueller, saying he would quit instead. It was after this that the President eventually backed off.
Ever since Mueller was appointed to lead this investigation, political pundits have warned that if Trump were to fire him, it would have sever political ramifications. Some even suggested that Trump could face impeachment trials if he let Mueller go.
Trump reportedly ordered for Mueller to be fired because of what he deemed multiple conflicts of interest, amid the wave of reports that Mueller was pursuing an obstruction of justice case against him.
The President claimed that Mueller had three specific conflicts of interest. The first involved a dispute at a Trump golf course that resulted in Mueller resigning his membership at the resort. Next, Trump claimed that Mueller was biased because he had previously worked for the law firm that had represented Jared Kushner, the President’s son-in-law. Finally, Trump reportedly claimed that Mueller had been interviewed to return as the new FBI director the very day he returned to become special counsel.
Since its release, Trump has dismissed the story vimantly. In a speech he delivered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump called the reporting "[f]ake news. Fake news… typical New York Times. Fake stories." So many wonder why this matters.
It is not actually illegal for a president to fire a special counsel, but that does not mean that there are no implications for doing so. Trump firing Mueller could have disastrous consequences given how suspicious it would look, especially since the president already fired the previous FBI director. Plus, in that case, the President would be removing the person leading the investigation against him. So even though Trump did not go through with the termination, many lawmakers argue that the very intention to do so suggests some level of conspiracy.
Although this may not lead to any direct ramifications, this revelation will mark a pivotal turning point in this investigation, as it provides more in depth information about the President’s potential collusion.
