Do you realize that Rosenstein was “in line” for that position within the Justice Department at the time of that appointment by the president, and that Rosenstein testified before the House Committee that he would recuse himself should he become a subject in Mueller’s investigation, as related to his role in terminating Comey, and, in that event that the Deputy AG position would then fall to the next “in line” at Justice, (who promptly retired herself).
All this to say that the Rosenstein appointment, by Trump, was perfunctory, as a matter of course, at the time. Two weeks after his appointment, Rosenstein set Mueller loose on the president and his staff and family and business on the pre-text for collusion with Russia.
Rosenstein testified that his motivation, for appointing an SC, Mueller, was due to “public interest”.
Funny, then Rosenstein has a no-name minion at Justice recently reply to Congress, who was still appealing for a Special Counsel into Hillary and the dossier, to say to the Committee that the JD declined the appeal for an SP, due to “LACK of public interest”.
So, now, what changed? Two weeks later Sessions announces that “we” will consider the appeal.
Here’s what I will give you. If the above is on the record with the Intel Committee, and it is, then it’s possible that Sessions, belatedly, and finally, at last, might, M I G H T, have turned some wheels on his own volition, even unbeknownst to Rosenstein.
I can’t tell yet, for sure, since Rosenstein may have done so, himself, and simply let Sleepy make the announcement. That was the usual MO for Sessions role at JD. Speak when he was told to speak, and to say what he was told to say in hearings, both examples of Rosenstein directing Sessions.
Here are the actual timeline dates:
November 18, 2016. President-elect Trump announces intention to nominate Sessions to be attorney general.
January 30, 2017. President Trump fires Acting Attorney General Sally Yates (holdover deputy attorney general from Obama administration).
January 31, 2017. President Trump announces nomination of Maryland District US Attorney Rosenstein as Deputy Attorney General.
February 8, 2017. Attorney General Sessions confirmed by Senate.
April 25, 2017. DAG Rosenstein's appointment confirmed by Senate.
March 2, 2017. AG Sessions announced "I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States."
May 16, 2017. President Trump interviewed former FBI Director Mueller for job that then 73-year-old Mueller was ineligible to hold since the director is limited by statute to a 10 year term (and Mueller had previously served 12 years).
May 17, 2017 (the very next day!). DAG Rosenstein appoints Mueller as special counsel to investigate Trump campaign collusion with Russia.
In retrospect, the timeline shows President Trump's fingerprints all over the Sessions recusal feint. As Sun Tzu taught and Donald Trump learned, any successful deception plan must fool most of your own people. While Mueller has dominated headlines, the DOJ has been busy.