We need a Robert Mueller Resignation or a Second Special Counsel

MUELLER MUST RESIGN …

In an OPED by Glenn Harlan Reynolds, he opines that the only way to avoid a tainted investigation or a political explosion is another counsel to investigate possible obstruction of justice. This is clearly the case. Mueller has an obvious conflict of interest as we has previously discussed, isn’t and independent counsel supposed to be independent? As Reynold’s states, either Robert Mueller does the right thing and resigns or Attorney General Jeff Sessions should appoint another special counsel to take over the obstruction-of-justice part of the investigation, where Mueller is disqualified. That would make sense. How could such a high profile investigation have any look of impropriety? Otherwise, it does just become a partisan witch hunt.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has a problem: He has a disqualifying conflict of interest regarding a large part of his work. It involves a choice between investigating or relying on former FBI director James Comey, a longtime close friend of Mueller’s.

Ideally, he’ll recognize that and resign. But if he doesn’t resign, Attorney General Jeff Sessions should appoint another special counsel to take over the obstruction-of-justice part of the investigation, where Mueller is disqualified.

At present, there are two investigations: One into whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians (a claim that even Democrat Chris Matthews admitted fell apart after Comey’s recent testimony) and an investigation into whether, while being investigated for this claimed collusion, President Trump or someone else obstructed justice. That investigation is closely tied to Comey, and so is Mueller.

As Bill Otis wrote in these pages last week, Mueller is too close to Comey to be impartial, and that violates Justice Department conflict of interest rules.  As Otis noted, “Comey and Mueller have been friends for nearly 15 years. They were partners in the episode that defined Comey’s professional persona more than any other in his public service. It would be surprising if it had not also forged a permanent bond with Mueller … Comey now finds himself at the center of the Russian investigation over which Mueller presides. Questions swirl around Comey — about whether the president wanted/hinted/hoped/asked/directed/or something else the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn to be stopped/abandoned/slowed/soft-peddled/something else. This is probably the central element of the obstruction of justice case that Trump’s opponents would like to see made against him. Questions also swirl about Comey’s notes about this conversation and why he gave them to a private individual (professor Dan Richman of Columbia Law) to convey to journalists. Additional questions have arisen about whether this curious and seemingly devious means of putting the contents of the notes in the public domain (leaking, in other words) was designed specifically to bring about the appointment of a special counsel outside the president’s direct reach — and, indeed, whether Comey wanted, expected or intended his friend Mueller to get the job.”