Q keeps asking why was Rachel Brand fired… Could this be why?
Carl Bernstein, per Bill Palmer: Rachel Brand's husband's partner's negotiating a plea deal
for Rick Gates, Manafort's partner.
So she would have had a conflict if she had to oversee the Mueller investigation.
Also, if Bernstein is correct, this is additional confirmation that Rick Gates is negotiating a plea deal – which would be a very good thing!
http://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/why-rachel-brand-trump/7869/
Carl Bernstein of Watergate investigative fame reported on CNN today that Brand’s husband is a partner in the law firm that just took over the defense for Trump-Russia suspect Rick Gates. That law firm is now negotiating a plea deal with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. This means that Brand could not have been in charge of Mueller’s investigation. If Trump did oust Rosenstein, it would have forced Brand to take a pass, and hand it off to the next person in the line of succession.
ON EDIT:
Per Wikipedia, Rachel Brand is married to a Jonathan Cohn. Also, a Jonathan Cohn IS employed by the same law firm as a new lawyer of Rick Gates's, Tom Green.
Rachel Brand's husband Jonathan Cohn IS employed by the same law firm as Tom Green, a lawyer who is said to be representing Rick Gates (his first three attorneys having withdrawn.
https://www.democraticunderground.org/100210217087