As Rosenstein Leaves DOJ, How Will History Judge Him?
May 13, 2019 by Jeff Carlson, CFA
Outgoing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has evoked strong opinions across the political spectrum during his two-year tenure.
Interestingly, over the past month, there has been an inversion of people’s opinions regarding him. Those on the left, who had been supporting him ever since he appointed special counsel Robert Mueller, are now claiming Rosenstein has been running interference for President Donald Trump. Those on the right, who felt Rosenstein betrayed the president with the appointment of Mueller, have begun to reassess his actions, following the publication of the Mueller report.
Rosenstein submitted his resignation letter to the president on April 29, with an effective date of May 11. Rosenstein had previously discussed his intent to resign from his post when a new attorney general was confirmed, following the resignation of Jeff Sessions.
After the appointment of William Barr as attorney general in February, however, Rosenstein stayed on to assist Barr in guiding him through the Mueller report, upon Barr’s request in mid-March.
Rosenstein, who had long overseen Mueller’s investigation, had knowledge of the more intimate details of the case and its underlying focus. Additionally, Rosenstein had issued to Mueller two expanded scope memos—the first on Aug. 2, 2017, and the second on Oct. 20, 2017—just 10 days before the indictment of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his business partner, Richard Gates.
On March 24, 2019, Barr delivered his principal conclusions letter to Congress. He noted that the special counsel found no evidence of collusion, but also noted that the special counsel didn’t draw a conclusion regarding obstruction. Barr told Congress that he and Rosenstein jointly concluded that the evidence presented by Mueller didn’t “establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.”
Barr later noted that “the Deputy Attorney General and I disagreed with some of the Special Counsel’s legal theories.”
In other words, Rosenstein not only had a direct hand in determining that Trump hadn’t obstructed justice, but also disagreed with some of the special counsel’s findings.
Long article, good info and timeline, covers SC appointment, wife and moar. Full article:
https://themarketswork.com/2019/05/13/as-rosenstein-leaves-doj-how-will-history-judge-him/