Rosenstein playing martyr to a friendly media

In the Federalist, David Harsanyi writes,

…while it might also come as a surprise to some people, Congress — a separate, co-equal branch of government, run, for the moment, by Republicans — is tasked with oversight of the executive branch, which includes the Justice Department. Now, you may deem them scandalously incompetent or hopelessly partisan, but it’s within the purview of a congressional committee to ask the FBI for documents pertaining to an ongoing investigation. They aren’t breaking the law or “extorting” anyone, as Rosenstein recently asserted, by asking for more transparency.

Yet, most Democrats (and Never Trumpers) have taken the exceptionally convenient position that not only shouldn’t the president (well, this president) have a say over the goings on at the Justice Department but that Congress (well, this congress) has no right to demand oversight, either. Most of the media frame their work accordingly, creating the impression the FBI doesn’t answer to anyone.

Fact is, Rosenstein has a habit of slow-walking documents to Congress that make the FBI look bad. This is a political consideration. The Deputy Attorney General is now refusing to hand over redacted documents that pertain to former Trump aide Michael Flynn’s statements about interacting with Russians. Will Flynn’s statements magically change if the public or Congress sees them? Rosenstein has yet to explain why he’s not cooperating with a congressional inquiry. Instead, he plays martyr to a friendly media.

…Now, firing Mueller would almost surely have major political ramifications, giving Democrats fodder to seek impeachment without any proof of criminality, much less “collusion.” And considering the questions Mueller reportedly wants to ask Trump — a net-casting expedition that has almost nothing to do with collusion, the impetus for the investigation — to do so would probably be an act of self-destruction on the president’s part.

Or maybe, Mueller will uncover criminality. Maybe Trump will abuse his office in an effort to bury the investigation. If the House believes so, it can impeach the president. If the Senate believes so, it can remove him. If the Republicans believe it, they can nominate someone else. If the American people agree, they can elect another president. This is all proper. But changing how government works by effectively stripping embedded constitutionally oversights for political reasons is just another kind of corruption.

Read more here.