Since when are Republicans concerned about unusual precedent? Trump has established his entire presidency on upsetting all norms of decency, professionalism, diligent preparation, etc.
they are cheering it.
The NYT claims that Rosenstein is taking unusual action...they cry and rant and kick and scream? I don't get it.
Rosenstein has evidenced himself to be a consummate professional. He has also been attacked by the people he is investigating (the president and his campaign).
- Rosenstein as deputy AG, may have information about crimes that we do not know about. Well, we do, the credit card stuff. He is ensuring this gets chased down *before* the guy gets confirmed, that's appropriate.
If that's the case, the NYT is incorrect, as it would not be a political injecting into the DOJ, it would be normal for the DOJ to investigate potential crimes.
What WOULD be unusual, would be to do what Comey did, and say "we're investigating potential crimes", while the investigation is ongoing. It could derail his nomination, like Comey did to Hillary for the Republicans.
OR
- Rosenstein *could* be playing games, tit for tat, with the White House. If so, that's a dangerous game, and it will be Rosenstein that bears that burden if so. That seems unlikely given his character, unless he knows that very soon he will have little to fear form the White House anyway and figures that a criminal in the White House should not be nominating anyone for SCOTUS for life. In which case, he's a patriot
But that's all speculation. Suggesting it's improper, is absurd. It's "unusual". In the Trump era, where Russia helped him win, and half the population cheers that fact, where Trump behaves like Trump, everything has been unusual, criminal, unethical, etc., for over a year. The idea that Rosenstein acting usual would be alarming is just hilarious.
