There’s not mincing words, and then there’s the comments from the speech that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein made at a recent event. “The previous administration” may eventually have some explaining to do.
Rosenstein spoke at the Armenian Bar Association’s Public Servants Dinner on Thursday and didn’t mince words about the “Russia investigation” he and the rest of the Trump administration inherited from the Obama administration, who Rosenstein referred to as “the previous administration.”
Here’s part of what Rosenstein said:
Some critical decisions about the Russia investigation were made before I got there. The previous Administration chose not to publicize the full story about Russian computer hackers and social media trolls, and how they relate to a broader strategy to undermine America. The FBI disclosed classified evidence about the investigation to ranking legislators and their staffers. Someone selectively leaked details to the news media. The FBI Director announced at a congressional hearing that there was a counterintelligence investigation that might result in criminal charges. Then the former FBI Director alleged that the President pressured him to close the investigation, and the President denied that the conversation occurred.
So that happened.
Leave it to one of the top lawyers in the country to make accusations without using a single name in his assessment.
As Fox News noted, a 2016 NBC News report quoted a nameless “U.S. official familiar with the level of Russian hacking” that they believed the reason that the Obama administration didn’t act more swiftly to the possibility of Russia meddling in the 2016 election was because they expected a different outcome in the general election.
“They thought she [Hillary Clinton] was going to win, so they were willing to kick the can down the road,” the official said.
For video of the above comments from Rosenstein, with additional comments, watch below:
One of the more interesting tidbits from Rosenstein’s speech came when he brought up the motivations of people whose job it is to divert from actual information, or truth, with narratives and conjecture — of which only members of the media and lobbyists come to mind in those situations. Still, Rosenstein’s comments shed some light on those possible motivations and his interest, or lack thereof, in said motivations.
Then there are the mercenary critics, who get paid to express passionate opinions about any topic, often with little or no information. They do not just express disagreement. They launch ad hominem attacks unrestricted by truth or morality. They make threats, spread fake stories, and even attack your relatives. I saw one of the professional provocateurs at a holiday party. He said, “I’m sorry that I’m making your life miserable.” And I said, “You do your job, and I’ll do mine.”
His job is to entertain and motivate partisans, so he can keep making money. My job is to enforce the law in a non-partisan way; that is the whole point of the oath of office.
That’s quite the interaction that shows that all is apparently fair in politics, while also showing that the bubble politicians, the media and lobbyists live in exists.
Rosenstein really had nothing to lose by making the remarks he did in his speech, because he will be reportedly stepping down as deputy attorney general two months from now after announcing his departure in January.