Suborning Justice : This President Can Do No Wrong

"I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go."
"As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know — there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity. I look forward to this matter concluding quickly."
"In the meantime, I will never stop fighting for the people and the issues that matter most to the future of our country."
U.S. President Donald J. Trump

SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

"I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authorities and appoint a special counsel to assume responsibility for this matter [investigation by the FBI into possible ties by the Trump campaign during the presidential election, with Russia]."
"My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted. I have made no such determination."
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein

"You need an independent assessment of what the president has done, how he has done it and perhaps why he has done it."
"The appointment of Director Mueller is exactly what is needed to attempt to bring credibility to the White House when there are so many questions about the president’s actions and motives."
John S. Pistole, former deputy director, F.B.I. under Robert S. Mueller III

Robert S. Mueller III, the former F.B.I. director, during a Senate hearing in 2013. Credit Christopher Gregory/The New York Times

Former F.B.I. director James Comey was just too resolutely wedded to the concept of justice for President Trump's satisfaction. He was given the opportunity to redeem himself, after deciding to launch an investigation into the principals involved in the Trump campaign whom it was widely rumoured had troubling links with Russian actors. As an example of Mr. Comey's even-handedness in the prosecution of his job, he first managed less than adroitly to interfere with Hillary Clinton's campaign by awkwardly introducing the subject of her unethical/illegal use of a personal email server at a critical time during the presidential election campaign.

That mortification and its result evidently failed to sufficiently impress upon Donald J. Trump that he had much to thank Mr. Comey for; instead he faulted the man for merely having chastised Hillary Clinton for her arrogance and poor judgement whose consequences may have been critical in undermining the security of the country, instead of charging her with a criminal offence. He himself, of course, could not possibly be charged with a like manner of offense, irrespective of the fact that his penchant for lying is every bit as overwhelming as Ms. Clinton's.

Mr. Comey, on being pressed by Mr. Trump to drop the unfortunate investigation into Michael T. Flynn's Russian contacts, as Trump's former National Security Adviser, deigned not to compromise his integrity through the sought-for capitulation to the president's urging, but did take the precaution of  relating in a narrative memo all that had transpired between them, sharing it with key colleagues in an obvious measure to protect himself in a compromising situation. The blatant transparency of Trump's attempted intervention reflects the man's incapacity to understand fully the consequences of his actions.

His subsequent swift and surprising firing of the F.B.I. director in the clumsiest of ways reflecting Trump's autocratic hubris simply represents yet another of the man's self-serving impulses. Now, a man whom he was instrumental in appointing to a critical post in his new administration, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein, has reacted to the firing of Mr. Comey by appointing a man whose credentials for austere incorruptibility is legendary within the American intelligence community, to head the investigation.

Will President Trump turn his maleficent attention on Mr. Rosenstein now? Who may or may not have good reason to investigate Mr. Trump for  his braggadocio toward the two Russian  officials, Ambassador Kislyak and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, boasting that he was in possession of strictly classified data relating to a terror threat which Islamic State is responsible for. In the process betraying the confidence of a state ally of the United States. Admittedly that ally, Israel, had been forewarned of just such a potential when previous U.S. intelligence agents warned their Israeli counterparts to withhold sharing such intelligence with the Trump administration.

This president of the United States appears to have greater confidence in and respect for Russian intelligence than he does for his own country's intelligence agencies. He had tweeted of his request of Mr. Comey "from the beginning of my administration, to find the LEAKERS in the intelligence community". This man whose mouth has no connection whatever to a cerebral cautionary system enjoys the privilege he has granted himself to disclose classified information to those from whom it should be withheld, yet holds others to an accounting he has himself devised.

"I get great intel. I have people brief me on great intel every day", came out of the official transcript of the meeting between Trump and the two elite Russian figures. A U.S. official who verified the event described it as a boast from Trump, recognizing that the revelation could conceivably place the source of the shared intelligence meant to be protected, at risk. When informed that he had broken with protocol, leaving White House officials to attempt to minimize any damage, Trump still insists he has "an absolute right" to release "facts pertaining to terrorism" with Russia.

As for Russia, its president, Vladimir Putin must surely believe he has died and gone to a special heaven reserved for leaders incapable of restraining themselves from malicious interference in the state business of other nations. The very ongoing storms of disbelieving condemnation emanating from all sources imaginable, both domestic and foreign at each of the magnificently idiotic statements issuing from Trump's vainglorious mouth represents an ongoing goldmine of entertainment for Mr. Putin. Even while others of his ilk; Kim, Assad, Erdogan, Duterte, Maduro roil the world with their disruptive and violent tactics.