I watched some of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on the Brett Baier Special Report on Fox News tonight. He was absolutely disrespectful, scornful, rude and sarcastic to the committee's members.
I understand the Committee were badgering Rosenstein for stonewalling and slow walking DOJ responses to requests for information. Nevertheless, while he was in the wrong, he let them know for all he cared they could take a flying f*** at a rolling donut. It was quite a temper outburst.
You get the very clear impression Rosenstein believes he is untouchable, basically he cannot be fired and can choose to largely ignore Congress' demands for information. His attitude demands some explanation.
Rosenstein works for Jeff Sessions, but in the matters under contention, Sessions cannot control him as Sessions has recused himself from the Russian influence investigation. Either Sessions or Trump could technically fire Rosenstein, he is a political appointee.
However, if either does fire him, it will be viewed by Mueller's group of Clinton-donor prosecutors as "obstruction of justice," a felony. At the minimum it would likely trigger a Constitutional crisis as the special prosecutor tries to indict the President who will claim the only control on a president is impeachment and subsequent conviction thereof.
Because of these complications, all the wise folk in DC have warned Trump not to fire Rosenstein, and so far he is taking their advice, odious though it must be to him. Today you could swear Rosenstein was daring someone to fire him and pull the trigger on that Constitutional crisis.
It would suit if the House would instead impeach Rosenstein. Unlike the President, they cannot engage in obstruction of justice while carrying out their constitutionally mandated duties. I daresay the Senate would never muster the votes to convict. Perhaps Rosenstein's legal fees would bankrupt him, a decent punishment for his insolence.
