Love Trump or loathe him, he’s looking at this whole “government sector” thing like he would the private sector, just like you’d expect a guy who has worked in the private sector his whole life. And, things like massively defying the head of the organization has consequences.
President Trump fired his acting attorney general after she defiantly refused to defend his immigration ban https://t.co/lpuENIl7Ih
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 31, 2017
It’s a great picture of Sally Yates looking stunned, wouldn’t you say? From the article
President Trump fired his acting attorney general on Monday night, removing her as the nation’s top law enforcement officer after she defiantly refused to defend his executive order closing the nation’s borders to refugees and people from predominantly Muslim countries.
In an escalating crisis for his 10-day-old administration, the president declared in a statement that Sally Q. Yates, who had served as deputy attorney general under President Barack Obama, had betrayed the administration by announcing that Justice Department lawyers would not defend Mr. Trump’s order against legal challenges.
Crisis? Really? Ms. Yates learned a valuable lesson: if you want to take this type of “principled” stand, you should resign. Like it or not, Trump is POTUS. And the rest of the federal employees, especially those in higher positions, where provided an abject lesson in what happens when you’re not part of the team. In the private sector, if you don’t like the things your boss does, you can discuss them with that person, and, if they won’t change to your satisfaction, you can either get along, or quit. Work somewhere else. It’s not your company.
Ms. Yates’s order was a remarkable rebuke by a government official to a sitting president, and it recalled the so-called Saturday Night Massacre in 1973, when President Richard M. Nixon fired his attorney general and deputy attorney general for refusing to dismiss the special prosecutor in the Watergate case.
First, she could have gone in and asked to talk with Mr. Trump or a main advisor. Instead, she played a dangerous game with her statement. And then, again, she learned what happens in the private sector. A sacking. Second, the situations mentioned are totally different. But, we know how objective the media is.
Ms. Yates said her determination in deciding not to defend the order was broader, however, and included questions not only about the order’s lawfulness, but also whether it was a “wise or just†policy. She also alluded to unspecified statements the White House had made before signing the order, which she factored into her review.
That’s not her job. Welcome to the private sector, Ms. Yates.
Interestingly, nowhere withing the article is it noted that Trump is utterly within his right to fire her.
Excitable Taylor Marsh is yammering on about the Saturday Night Massacre, and is calling the White House the Kremlin on the Potomac.
Above The Law writes that “So Ms. Yates gets to leave with her honor intact.” She would have had she resigned, not been canned.
Boing Boing is having a meltdown, as is Alan Colmes and The Atlantic. And Lawyers, Guns, And Money.
Ann Althouse picks out a great quote from the Times’ article: “These career bureaucrats have a problem with it?†Mr. Spicer said. “They should either get with the program or they can go.†Bingo.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
trumpy is not a “private sector guy”. For one he is now president for all the people of America. Two, he was never really a private sector guy in that his businesses are intertwined with American state and foreign governments.
That said, we can be certain that AG Yates fully expected to be fired by diktator trumpy (she would be relieved when Jefferson Beauregard Sessions was installed anyway) for her insubordination. trumpy was justified in firing her, legally and politically.
#ImpeachTrumpy
Normally, when a subordinate — especially a temporary one — cannot follow his boss’ instructions, he resigns. Sally Yates is a very attractive woman, and she played the game well: she got herself publicly fired, from a job she was going to lose anyway, thus making herself into a leftist heroine, to establish her credentials for her next job with MSNBC.
If by “intertwined” you mean either regulated by, doing business with or taxed by American state(?) and foreign governments you would be correct. Of course then “We Are All Trump Industries” because if you are in business you are “intertwined”. Isn’t your business “intertwined” by regulations, taxes or dealings with one form of government or another?
You need to stop playing fast and loose with your word definitions. At your age you know “private sector” means not working for government. Trump never held office nor was employed by any government agency. So, yes, he really, really was a “private sector guy” like it or not.
One thing we can all agree on is that trumpy’s Cabinet appointees and “beyond right wing nutjob” SCOTUS pick deserve “extreme vetting”.
Anyway, we’re getting along fine with just 8 justices.
Hoagie,
Sorry, but surely you recognize trumpy’s direct business ties to foreign governments (e.g., Russia and Saudi Arabia) and cozy relationships with and manipulation of various state gaming commissions and state governments is different from you and I.
I do recognize those relationships, Jeffery. Do you recognize when a person is in business he has to “intertwine” with government? The larger the business, the greater the “intertwining”. The more international the business the more governments and bureaucrats he will “intertwine” with. You assume that is somehow nefarious. I call it good business sense. Of course his “relationships” are different than yours and mine. I would expect them to be. Do we do business on his level? With the same people?
We have restaurants and other properties in South Korea and one in Hong Kong. You have no idea how much “intertwining” is required every time we want to open a new location.
I would figure a guy with experience with these countries and such would be a plus for the job.