Chris Wray makes it easy for Trump

When Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in 2017, I was about to drive my daughter and her friend to a soccer tryout. I remember the news came shortly before we left. When we arrived I was sitting on a bench next to a football field. Scroll through to see the incredible and horrifying reactions on Twitter. The news is widely considered to be similar to Richard Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre, one of the most abhorrent scandals in American history. Trump fired amid Russia probescream banner headline at the home page of The New York Times–

Now Trump, who is preparing for a second term as president, has decided to replace the FBI director again, the figure he chose to replace Comey. which is christopher Ray from the collapsed Republican Party It has proven unable to live up to Trump’s expectations of the position, which includes (1) allowing Trump and his allies to break the law with impunity and (2) investigating anyone who Disturbing (1) Ray is grappling with Trump’s desire to distance himself from the job he seems to enjoy. So I chose to resign on my own. This raises the possibility that the media will treat Wray’s replacement as a normal management turnover rather than a scandal.

But it’s most definitely a scandal. Traditionally, FBI directors have 10-year terms, a norm designed to protect the FBI from pressure to conform to the president’s wishes. Trump supporters have two philosophical reasons for his desire to break with that tradition. low populist version That’s what Trump cultists love. Trump is beset by a “deep state” conspiracy that presses on him at every turn. Because it is loyal to globalization neoconservative or other corrupt networks High-brow model that is in demand conservative movement elitesThat is, the president has an inherent right to control the executive branch from top to bottom. And all norms designed to prevent presidents from abusing their power are an affront to the Constitution.

Neither theory can explain why Trump continues to wage war on people. He appointed Himself.– Wray is not a Democrat. And he is no Never Trumper, he is Trump’s chosen Republican. So is former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a Trump loyalist. and his successor, William Barr, who handpicked him to succeed Sessions by displaying even more hawkish loyalty to Trump.

The problem that continues to occur is There is no way to be in Trump’s favor while following the law. at the celebration statement Posted on Truth Social, Trump claims “Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home without cause.” If the FBI’s raid was really illegal, He was able to prove this in court. He didn’t because of the huge amount of classified documents he received when he left office. Keep it in an extremely unsafe location. Refused multiple requests to return documents Lying over and over about it. and engaging in a shady cover-up, Trump left the bureau with no choice for Wray to shamelessly allow the law to be broken. It must be acknowledged that this law does not apply to Trump whether he is in or out of office.

David Frum: A constitutional crisis bigger than Watergate

But that’s a doctrine Trump has clearly called on the office to adhere to. This is why he chose Kash Patel, who has a childlike idolatry. So much so that he expresses his true loyalty to Trump. Children’s books Painting Trump as a virtuous monarch and himself as Trump’s loyal wizard, perhaps Patel (or whoever Senate Republicans ultimately confirm to him) once he takes office will develop that Professionally mature understanding of the rule of law. It’s increasingly likely that Trump’s FBI director will find it difficult to lock up Trump’s enemies. This was the counter-critical outcome of the Durham inquiry. It was the first phase of Trump’s campaign to jail his enemies. This resulted in months of salivation from the conservative media. Had to be acquitted twice in court

Still, the risks of handing over the office to a director intent on abusing his power are serious. Republicans tend to downplay these risks during the campaign. They point to Trump’s first term. When Democrats and the media Loudly denounce Trump’s authoritarian tactics that violate Trump’s norms. Only the system can hold. The fact that Trump is going after people who keep the system suspended is a logical flaw that these Republicans steadfastly refuse to consider.

Discouragingly, Republicans’ willpower to resist Trump’s most corrupt impulses appears to be a limited resource. When Ray announced that he was resigning from his position With three years remaining to complete his standard 10-year term, he made a painful confession: “It should go without saying. But I’ll tell you anyway. It’s not easy for me.”

However, it is easy for President-elect Donald Trump to face the unpleasant task of firing fellow Republicans of his own choosing. By inviting the national media to raise ugly questions about his oft-confessed desire to turn the federal criminal justice machinery into a weapon of political revenge, Wray, on the other hand, was like a Republican. A large number of voters are unable to meet Trump’s demands. So I decided to enter into the blissful evening gently. No one but Ray remembers where they were when Christopher Ray resigned.