The Impeach-O-Meter is a wildly subjective and speculative daily estimate of the likelihood that Donald Trump leaves office before his term ends, whether by being impeached (and convicted) or by resigning under threat of same.
Much speculation about Donald Trump’s apparent decision to partner with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer on DACA-related legislation has involved POTUS’ beef with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. Trump’s decisions are driven by impulsive personal animosity, the thinking goes, and buddying up with Pelosi/Schumer is simply the best way to get back at McConnell for failing to pass a health care bill. The New York Times, though, noted Thursday that the DACA decision is also a stick to the eye of hardline anti-immigration attorney general Jeff Sessions, who angered Trump by recusing himself from the Russia investigation and leaving it under the control of deputy AG Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein then appointed Robert Mueller, whose public prestige and statutory independence from the administration means Trump can’t bully him. And that makes Donny real mad! From the Times:
When the phone call ended, Mr. McGahn relayed the news [about Mueller’s appointment] to the president and his aides. Almost immediately, Mr. Trump lobbed a volley of insults at Mr. Sessions, telling the attorney general it was his fault they were in the current situation. Mr. Trump told Mr. Sessions that choosing him to be attorney general was one of the worst decisions he had made, called him an “idiot,” and said that he should resign.
As wild as this is, it’s probably a wash for now for impeachment purposes. On the one hand it’s a reminder that Trump may well commit the supremely stupid and self-incriminating act of firing the attorney general because he won’t let the president obstruct justice. On the other, doing the opposite of what Jeff Sessions wants on every issue would mean embracing sensible, popular positions on issues ranging from DREAMers to asset seizure to weed decriminalization. So … we’ll see!
