Firing Mueller would only make things worse for Trump
In other words, this is as far from justice -- or Justice -- gone rogue as can be.
So if Trump can't make his Mueller et al problem disappear, can he survive it? That's his best strategy, if he would slow down enough to think this through. First, given the long-standing Justice Department position against indicting a sitting president, Mueller is not likely to bring criminal charges against Trump directly.
As The Washington Post has reported, his more likely route is, in addition to the indictments of lesser figures, to submit a report or series of reports to Rosenstein. Those will probably make their way to Congress and, eventually, the public. They could easily form the basis for impeachment proceedings, especially if Democrats win a majority in the House of Representatives in November's midterm elections.
But even if a House Democratic majority launches impeachment proceedings, even if it votes to impeach the president, then what? Ask President Bill Clinton, who survived the same. A two-thirds vote by the Senate is required for conviction. Even if Democrats win a majority of Senate seats as well, that would likely leave them far short of the votes to remove Trump from office -- unless Mueller comes up with evidence against Trump so devastating that even this GOP crowd can't ignore it, in which case nothing could save Trump.
So hunkering down appears to be, at this point, the wisest course. Even if it is the one Trump, by instinct and history, is least likely to take.
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Ruth Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com.
(c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group
