...When Rosenstein learned Comey was informed of the termination by e-mail, he was "angry, ashamed, horrified, and embarrassed." It was also humiliating for Comey. Rosenstein was not copied on the e-mail to Comey, and was surprised the media portrayed the termination as Rosenstein's idea. At some point that evening, Sarah Flores told Rosenstein something she had heard from a contact at the White House. (Schools advised Rosenstein not to discuss the content of the conversation.) Based on the exchange with Flores, Rosenstein told her the Department of Justice "cannot participate in putting out a false story." Rosenstein opined Flores's White House contact was someone from the White House Chief of Staff's Office or Public Affairs. Flores informed Rosenstein the White House requested he attend a press conference on the termination but Rosenstein refused. Later that evening, Rosenstein received a short telephone call in his office from the President. Crowell was in Rosenstein's office at the time. After the telephone call, Rosenstein visited Sessions' office (not as a result of the call). Flores was in the secretary's vestibule outside Sessions office on a phone call. Once the call terminated, she informed Rosenstein it was a call from a "high ranking official at the White House." Sessions was not part of that conversation, and nothing significant was discussed between Rosenstein and Sessions at that time. By the evening of May 9, it was clear White House officials had been telling the story about the Comey termination in a manner "inconsistent with my experience and personal knowledge."
Events of May 10, 2017
Rosenstein first contacted Mueller on May 10 at 7:34 am, but "of course" he was thinking about the issue of appointing a special counsel before that time. Then, at 11:30 am, Rosenstein attended a previously scheduled meeting with the prosecutors assigned to the Russia investigation. This was the first regularly scheduled meeting on the matter. During this first meeting, and in light of all the controversy surrounding the investigation, Rosenstein declared, "In my acting capacity as the Attorney General, leave no stone unturned" or words to that effect. However, those assigned to the case are career prosecutors, so in his personal opinion, telling them to do so was unnecessary because he knew they would do the right thing. During his May 10 briefing, the team confirmed for Rosenstein the President was not a suspect. This was also Rosenstein's impression from his initial April 28 briefing he received from then Director Comey. Carl Ghattas may have attended this briefing, as well as several prosecutors.
Rosenstein elaborated that based on his May 10 briefing, "there appeared to be no evidence the President was involved personally." Rosenstein inquired whether they needed additional resources, and was informed there was no such need.
[REDACTED by Trump's DOJ - for b5 - ie they're just not gonna tell you what this paragraph is because they don't feel like it.]
Several times throughout the day on May 10, Sarah Flores gave Rosenstein "tick tock" summaries of news events related to Comey's termination, which Rosenstein explained was not a time line, but a sequence of events. Sometime later that evening, Flores showed him a tick tock summary he believed was reasonable, and authorized its release. Rosenstein and McGahn spoke later that evening on the subject (and before the summary's release). Both were stressed over the situation. Rosenstein's main reason for appointing a special counsel was due to public perception of the process. It did not reflect a lack of confidence. Rosenstein was inclined to appoint a special counsel immediately the morning of May 10. Rosenstein was concerned about his position at the Department of Justice and it caused him stress, but it did not influence his decision. Rosenstein was not present at the White House on May 10 when President Trump referred to Comey as a "nut job," does not know who else was present, and knows only what he read in the newspaper. ...
- I’m probably not if much cognitive use til Ash Wednesday I’m afraid.
