Donald Trump applauded his acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney’s performance in front of the White House reporters when he told them of course, we do quid pro quo all of the time. Then, the feedback crashed back in on Mulvaney. That was when the president put his chief of staff out for a dusting off.
Since then, Mulvaney has found himself at sea with no apparent support. The president appeared ready to kick him under the bus as collateral damage which reaches every person who has stood loyal to the president. Rick Wilson’s book’s title said it all Everything Trump Touches Dies.
Mulvaney ignored a subpoena from the House’s impeachment inquiry, then he had a change of heart. He wanted to join others in their lawsuit questioning the veracity of the president’s demand they say nothing. Trump’s former deputy national security adviser Charles Kupperman was who he wanted to join. Former national security adviser John Bolton has said that he would testify based upon the results of Kupperman’s suit, according to NPR. The two men share an attorney.
Instead, the acting chief of staff decided to file his own lawsuit and withdrew his request to join Kupperman’s suit, the NPR reported. Mulvaney’s attorneys indicated their arguments were similar to Kupperman’s, because both men were top aides to the president and in regular contact.
The attorney for Kupperman and Bolton, Charles Coope,r said that there were “important distinctions” between the two situations. He wondered whether Mulvaney had already waived his immunity protection with his public comments:
‘Plaintiff, in contrast, has never publicly disclosed information relating to any of his official duties, including the matters under investigation by the House [raise a] serious question.’
Cooper suggested that each man had arguments they could use that would not be applicable to the other’s case.:
‘Mulvaney, for instance, still works for Trump, while Kupperman does not. That means that even if Kupperman were to be directed to testify, Mulvaney, as a current White House employee, could nonetheless look to shield himself behind a Justice Department legal opinion that says close advisers to the president should not have their attention diverted “at the whim of congressional committees.”’
Cooper said that in contrast, his clients Kupperman’s and Bolton’s arguments for immunity would be stronger than Mulvaneys’.
‘[Since all their duties] concerned advising the President on highly sensitive matters of national security and foreign affairs.’
The Democrats in the House impeachment inquiry were also against Mulvaney joining Kupperman’s lawsuit. For one thing, they withdrew Kupperman’s subpoena that ordered him to appear before their committee.
The New York Times reported:
‘Mr. Bolton argued in court papers that the acting chief of staff should not be allowed to jump into the existing lawsuit as a plaintiff because his interests are significantly different. The legal schism underscored a broader rift between Mr. Mulvaney, who facilitated Mr. Trump’s effort to pressure Ukraine, and Mr. Bolton, who tried to resist it.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
