Re:Guccifer 2.0 Slipped Up and Revealed He Was a Russian Int...
by dragonwriter on Friday March 23, 2018 @06:07PM
(#16663005)
> The fact is, whatever Trump's feelings, as President he had every right to fire Comey
No, he had the legal power to fire Comey. This is not in dispute (if it were, there would be a question of the validity of the firing, and whether Comey was, in fact, still lawfully the Director of the FBI.) It is also not a question of rights, but of powers vested in particular government officials under the law.
What is in question is whether that firing was an abuse of power (a misfeasance or malfeasance in office), as well as the overlapping question of whether Trump or others had previously committed other crimes (which the firing may have been intended to protect; note that had Trump wished to retroactively license such crimes, the power of the pardon would also be within his legal power, but that would still raise questions of abuse of power, and would be somewhat more overt in its purpose.)
No, he had the legal power to fire Comey. This is not in dispute (if it were, there would be a question of the validity of the firing, and whether Comey was, in fact, still lawfully the Director of the FBI.) It is also not a question of rights, but of powers vested in particular government officials under the law.
What is in question is whether that firing was an abuse of power (a misfeasance or malfeasance in office), as well as the overlapping question of whether Trump or others had previously committed other crimes (which the firing may have been intended to protect; note that had Trump wished to retroactively license such crimes, the power of the pardon would also be within his legal power, but that would still raise questions of abuse of power, and would be somewhat more overt in its purpose.)