If Scott Pruitt were to replace Jeff Sessions, would he hesitate to fire Robert Mueller...?

[kentuck]

...and attempt to shut down the investigation?

If he could get confirmed by the Senate, I have little doubt but that he would try.

Would he be successful? Perhaps?

But, I suspect that he would get a little opposition from the Republicans, and he would be very difficult to confirm.

I do not doubt but that Trump would like to end the investigation entirely.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. The Senate would be FOOLS.....

to confirm Scott Pruitt as Attorney General given the scandal ridden mess he is in at the moment.

And if they did, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein would tell Pruitt, "You have no credibility here, you lying POS!"

I can dream.

[rsdsharp]

2. They don't have to confirm him.

He was already been confirmed as EPA director. As such Trump can slide him into any other position that requires Senate confirmation for a period of 210 days without new Senate confirmation.

He'd fire Mueller on day one.

[kentuck]

3. I did not know that!

That might explain why Mueller and Rosenstein told Trump's lawyers that he was not a "target" in an investigation? If he had replied in the affirmative, he may have been gone today?

[MiniMe]

4. Since he has been approved as EPA Secretary, he has a bit of time before he has to be confirmed

I think it is several months. The firing of Mueller would be done day 1

[Trust Buster]

5. I predicted this scenario a few times on DU. It is precisely the fact that Pruitt has already been

Confirmed and can serve as AG for 210 days without further confirmation that I believe don the Con will prove to be very reluctant to give Pruitt the boot.

[magicarpet]

6. If they dump Sessions and swap in Pruitt....

.... the November 2018 would be a blow out election loss for the Rethugs big big time.

Do it, do it, please do it. Wait another 60 days to maximize the negative impact it will do on the mid-terms come November.

[tableturner]

7. As AG, Pruitt or ANY political associate of Trump must recuse (DOJ Conflicts Rule, 28 CFR 45. 2).

See this thread:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210457448

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. If he became acting AG that would be why he was given the job. n/t

[tableturner]

9. But he would have to recuse....see post 7

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. Who would force him to if he refused?

Definition of a Constitutional Crisis.

[tableturner]

13. The same set of circumstances and pressures that forced Sessions to recuse.

[Tom Rinaldo]

14. Maybe. Maybe not

If somehow Donald Trump, or someone else who thinks the same way he does, had been in Session's shoes I doubt he would have voluntarily recused. Sessions whatever else his faults may be is steeped in Senate tradition. Forces worked on him that may not work on another.

[Adrahil]

12. Pruitt has shown a willingness to flaunt rules...

..do you think the GOP Congress would hold him accountable? I sure don't.

[Adrahil]

10. Nope....

Pruitt is a completely unprincipled tool of the oligarchy. He's willing to destroy the environment to ingratiate himself to monied interests, he's certainly willing to be Trump's hitman.