How likely is the appointment of a special prosecutor? It is hard to tell at the moment. Republicans control both the House and Senate and only 3 Senators and 8 House members have said a special prosecutor needs to be appointed. There are also signs of Republican resistance to any investigation by what appears to be their hindering of the progress of the Senate Russia probe by understaffing and underfunding the investigation.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urges the Senate to not confirm a new FBI director until a special prosecutor is appointed. However, if Democrats do not get their way, it is likely the argument will continue for a special prosecutor until after the midterm elections which easily could see Democrats regain control of the Senate.
It is reasonable to believe James Comey should have left the FBI months ago. He has certainly rubbed many people the wrong way on both sides of the Washington political aisle for years. Before the inauguration the Wall Street Journal called for Comey’s resignation and that if he did not resign, Trump should fire him. Their reasoning was well-grounded—Comey just had too much political manure on him to keep the FBI’s reputation intact as a “politically impartial federal agency.” Neither Comey nor Trump took that opportunity for a “fresh face” as Trump calls it. In fact, Trump praised Comey for the very reasons he fired him up until a week before he gave him the axe.
President Trump has needlessly squandered all his credibility and no one can trust him at his word. At best Trump appears to be incompetent, naïve, and unqualified. At worst, he appears perniciously corrupt. A special prosecutor is perfect for figuring the former from the latter.
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