Trump gives notice that he is firing another Inspector General

Sen. Chuck Grassley says of the firing of the State Department inspector general: “As I’ve said before, Congress requires written reasons justifying an IG’s removal. A general lack of confidence simply is not sufficient detail to satisfy Congress.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 16, 2020

Senator Johnson is the committee chair responsible for protecting the inspector general program. Last night, President Trump retaliated against yet another inspector general. What does Senator Johnson do about it? Thank the president for praising him. https://t.co/1rKSKTsi0I
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 16, 2020

On the firing of State Department inspector general Steve Linick, a White House official says, "Secretary Pompeo recommended the move, and President Trump agreed.”

This is relevant because officials say Linick had begun an investigation into possible misconduct by Pompeo.
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) May 16, 2020

Inbox: Sen. Menendez and Rep. Engel have launched an investigation into Trump's firing of State Dept. Inspector General Steve Linick.

Writing to the W.H., State, and State OIG, the lawmakers request officials preserve all records related to the firing and turn over by May 22.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 16, 2020

The president notified Congress he will remove State Dept Inspector General and now Congressional Democrats say they are launching an investigation of the firing of Steve Linick pic.twitter.com/KQQqhFOGyU
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) May 16, 2020

State Department inspector general fired as Democrats decry ‘dangerous pattern of retaliation’ https://t.co/X15dNMsiEa
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 16, 2020

More: The IG was investigating possible misuse of a political appointee at the State Department to perform personal tasks for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife, a Democratic congressional aide tells me.
— Zachary Cohen (@ZcohenCNN) May 16, 2020

.@RepEliotEngel⁩ says that the State Department IG, who was fired tonight, had recently opened an investigation into Pompeo. A Democratic aide says he was looking at Pompeo’s misuse of a political appointee at State to perform personal tasks for himself and his wife. pic.twitter.com/RqtEbV8uxH
— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) May 16, 2020

Pelosi: “This firing will set back the important work of the Office of the Inspector General to perform critical audits, investigations and inspections of U.S. embassies and programs around the world during this crisis,” telling him to cease “pattern of reprisal and retaliation”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 16, 2020

It's worth remembering that while the House has been working to give more protection to IGs, Grassley recently declared that IGs are protected well enough. How well does it feel like that's working out for us right about now with another IG on the chopping block? Thanks Grassley. https://t.co/MWelu0w81Q
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 16, 2020

A word of caution to reporters covering the news of State Department's inspector general: The law requires Trump to give Congress 30 days notice BEFORE firing him. Unless Trump has violated that law, what Trump did was give 30-days notice of an intent to fire the IG. /1
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 16, 2020

another Inspector General has been fired by @realDonaldTrump … must be a Friday night in America … no watchdogs, no oversight, no check-and-balance, democracy is dying right in front of eyes. Only chance to save it is to make a change in November! https://t.co/OX3WsAJq2q
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) May 16, 2020

Another Inspector General fired by Trump in the dead of night.

Another apparent act of retaliation and cover up.

To shield a loyal cabinet secretary from oversight and accountability.

And undermine the rule of law.

This surfeit of corruption must end. And soon. https://t.co/fpH28bcjWu
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 16, 2020

If you went to bed early 🙋🏼‍♂️ you missed another dismissal of another independent government watchdog. This time, it's State Department Inspector General Steve Linick…https://t.co/oUirsklEma
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 16, 2020

Another Friday night, another inspector general ousted by Trump as he seeks to purge the government of independent figures and enforce loyalty to himself. ⁦This time it's the State IG said to be investigating Pompeo. @shearm⁩ ⁦@maggieNYT⁩ https://t.co/WM923AqC6T
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 16, 2020

State Department fires its inspector general tonite. Ouster came moments after House Democrats passed their Heroes Act, which would make it harder for administration to terminate IGs https://t.co/b8uR09ZN7J pic.twitter.com/ja41Z54xS7
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) May 16, 2020

Can't we use, like, super computers or something to divine some kind of pattern in the president's actions? https://t.co/hUrtZLr2b3
— Ron Charles (@RonCharles) May 16, 2020

More on Flynn

Flynn has admitted he is guilty. He belongs in jail. Republicans are treating him like a hero. Barr is a partisan hack trying to rewrite history.

Opinion: Michael Flynn isn’t a martyr.

He’s a crook and a crackpot. https://t.co/rpKF3LDoUR
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 15, 2020

NEW: Breaking down and explaining the legally and politically complex Michael Flynn case and the issues now facing Judge Sullivan, w/ my colleague @SharonLNYT https://t.co/7SJkz7UUBA
— Charlie Savage (@charlie_savage) May 15, 2020

The Times recalls an important fact here — White House counsel Don McGahn reviewed the transcripts of Flynn’s conversations with Kislyak, and agreed he was lying https://t.co/IvzAsF19Xs
— Blake News (@blakehounshell) May 14, 2020

So it turns out that the Trump cult’s release of the unmasking requests related to Flynn suggest that Flynn was engaged in OTHER suspicious activity beyond what’s publicly known. Good work, guys. https://t.co/fK4PHKV3Eq
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 14, 2020

Thread: https://t.co/1tf4Fbcj5l
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) May 14, 2020

Did Flynn lie to the FBI? Or did he lie to the court when he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI? Now that he says he is innocent, the judge would like to know. https://t.co/Na8x5vbYWi
— Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) May 14, 2020

Judge Sullivan suggesting that Flynn might be in contempt of court highlights the dilemma Flynn has created for himself.

Either he lied to the FBI, or he lied under oath to a federal judge. And both are crimes.
— Randall Eliason (@RDEliason) May 14, 2020

THREAD: What should we make of the news that Judge Sullivan has appointed retired Judge John Gleeson to present arguments in opposition to the DOJ's motion to dismiss the case against Michael Flynn?
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 13, 2020

Department officials reviewing the Flynn case interviewed Bill Priestap, the former head of F.B.I. counterintelligence, two days before making their extraordinary request to drop the case to Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. https://t.co/oh1Za72p3u w/@ktbenner
— Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanNYT) May 13, 2020

It’s unprecedented that the DOJ would side with the president’s perspective on justice in such a brazen manner. https://t.co/mLVVRnKMFD
— Slate (@Slate) May 13, 2020

Translation: “Not so fast, Barr. I’m still the judge here, not you.” Good news for those of us who still care about how the Constitution protects the independent judiciary. Judge Sullivan wants to hear from genuine friends of the court. Excellent!https://t.co/7PvPM78rTH
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 13, 2020

Since the prosecutors have effectively joined the defense in the Flynn case, a federal judge appoints a retired judge to argue the prosecution side of the matter. ⁦@ktbenner⁩ https://t.co/gFyTnI8UlQ
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 14, 2020

NEW Judge who repeatedly asked Flynn if he really believed he was guilty — and Flynn insisted he was — isnt immeduately accepting DOJ decision to drop Flynn case. @hsu_spencer& me https://t.co/nEdgf246Sr
— Carol Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig) May 13, 2020

In an extraordinary development for a criminal case, a judge is letting others weigh in on the Trump administration's request to drop Michael Flynn's case https://t.co/zWtC7uk1AK
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) May 13, 2020

Trump allies view the move to withdraw charges against Flynn as a major step in exposing the Russia probe as a political hit job. Democrats fear DOJ is being weaponized ahead of an election.

The facts on Michael Flynn, the FBI, and Bill Barr’s bombshell https://t.co/yjumasyhQ0
— Zach Basu (@zacharybasu) May 12, 2020

In arguing that the case against President Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn should be dropped, the Justice Department contradicted past testimony from key officials, according to one official and a CNN analysis https://t.co/G0GmUjJCpQ
— CNN (@CNN) May 12, 2020

It would be unusual for a judge to buck a prosecution motion to dismiss – but this is an unusual, if not unprecedented, case.https://t.co/herhnQWgfM
— Randall Eliason (@RDEliason) May 12, 2020

More about the terrible Justice Department decision about Flynn

Former Fed. Judge Gleeson & 2 former justice officials: “If prosecutors attempt to dismiss a well-founded prosecution for impermissible or corrupt reasons, the people would be ill-served if a court blindly approved their dismissal request….” https://t.co/WWNzmJI3fl
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) May 12, 2020

"They’re treating the Michael Flynn story like it's a bigger deal than the deaths of 2,000 Americans a day."@brianstelter rips "right-wing media" for extensive coverage of @GenFlynn and the Russia investigation. pic.twitter.com/I2fNW4whGY
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 10, 2020

This is significant, because DOJ’s argument for dismissing the case against Flynn relies on McCord’s words to claim that Flynn’s lies were not “material” to an ongoing FBI investigation. https://t.co/z6cjeINWXO
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 10, 2020

Must read: The long list of people who thought Flynn’s lies were material https://t.co/SItqAnL1V6
— Nicolle Wallace (@NicolleDWallace) May 10, 2020

“Barr’s supporting role in Trump’s war on the Mueller legacy has been clear for some time.” So has Putin’s role in undermining everything pointing to his hand in Trump’s plot to take over the presidency, though @JeffreyToobin doesn’t go there:https://t.co/x8IMgWeIdE
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 9, 2020

Anyone notice how Barr’s move to dismiss the case against Flynn came right after a Trump-Putin call that Trump told reporters had nailed VE-Day as a perfect time to show “what a hoax” the whole Russia investigation was? So Trump is still in bed with Vlad. Right up to his hairdo.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 9, 2020

Trump: ‘I would certainly consider’ bringing Michael Flynn back to work at the White House https://t.co/gPlzWj9ObH
— Raw Story (@RawStory) May 7, 2020

REPORTER: How will history look back on your decision to drop charges against Flynn?

BILL BARR: “Well, history is written by the winners. So it largely depends on who’s writing the history.” pic.twitter.com/GVr2bIaavc
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 7, 2020

THREAD. The AG dropping the case on Flynn turns the entire purpose of the Special Counsel regs on its head. The SC is appointed *precisely* to insulate an investigation from influence by a political appointee, namely, the AG. 1/
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 7, 2020

Another very highly respected DOJ attorney withdrawing from a case, this one about Michael Flynn. Something is deeply wrong. https://t.co/aPHtYWzsnp
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) May 7, 2020

No, it’s worse than that.

The DOJ doesn’t care if you lie to the FBI … as long as you’re Donald Trump‘s friend.

Everyone else is still subject to the same law that has been on the books for decades. https://t.co/D6uUls8xrd
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 7, 2020

Can one of my lawyer friends help me with this one cause I can't figure it out. Barr says Flynn is not liable for his actions or lies because therewasn't a crime. How do you know in advance there is not a crime until you investigate. Andhow do u investigate w/out talking to folks
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) May 9, 2020

That's a good lead, come on. pic.twitter.com/HYMsYzdhvD
— Sam Dolnick (@samdolnick) May 9, 2020

Vice President Pence: "I'd be happy" to see Michael Flynn back in the Trump administration https://t.co/6DnVbZt6en pic.twitter.com/Pds6piICKw
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 10, 2020

Michael Flynn is guilty

Barr’s actions are disgraceful. Flynn confessed and now they’re dropping charges.

Abandoning the Flynn prosecution is the latest step in a pattern of dismantling the work of the Russia investigators. A former federal prosecutor said Bill Barr is eating the Justice Department from the inside out. https://t.co/iUfnTCqUrJ
— Charlie Savage (@charlie_savage) May 8, 2020

"This move embeds into official U.S. policy an extremist view of law enforcement as the enemy of the American people," write @neal_katyal and @jgeltzer in The New York Times.https://t.co/SytYoz7MgJ
— Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) May 8, 2020

My thoughts on the latest swing of Barr's wrecking ball into the Justice Department https://t.co/3jY7BGL0o9
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 8, 2020

My take in the @washingtonpost on the Flynn case, the government's bizarre motion, and the corruption in Barr's DOJ. @PostOpinions #MichaelFlynn https://t.co/028fynjmQh
— Randall Eliason (@RDEliason) May 8, 2020

In case you missed it, here are thoughts on yesterday’s Flynnfamy:https://t.co/mKiO4icHrj
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) May 8, 2020

Flynn: Charges dropped.
Stone: Sentencing recommendation revoked.
Cohen: Early release due to coronavirus rescinded.https://t.co/PsbpINR7PB
— Philip Bump (@pbump) May 8, 2020

Team Trump Wants Mike Flynn Back For 2020, Sees Him As Their ‘Nelson Mandela’

⁦@swin24⁩ ⁦@ErinBanco⁩ report https://t.co/IBIHiHOIox
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) May 8, 2020

By dropping the case against Flynn, the Justice Dept lost 50 years worth of ground in maintaining its independence post-Watergate.

Once again, Bill Barr is doing Trump's dirty work.

And once again, Barr has undermined the legitimacy of our justice system and the rule of law. pic.twitter.com/lUuRoqFqeD
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 8, 2020

To me, the evidence that Flynn knew he'd been caught in a lie came in our very first story.

At first he denied discussing sanctions with Kislyak. Told we were still planning to report otherwise, he tried to take back that denial.https://t.co/f8m4qtX5UX pic.twitter.com/IpCz0opu8d
— Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) May 7, 2020

Re-posting my piece from ⁦@thedailybeast⁩ explaining why Flynn was not “framed.” Turns out no pardon needed. Barr saved the day for Trump by … wait for it … dismissing all charges. Maybe we should give Flynn a pony, too. No truth. No justice. https://t.co/Fo3qypPgXe
— Barb McQuade (@BarbMcQuade) May 7, 2020

Just in–Statement from Andrew McCabe on DOJ and Flynn: "The Department's position that the FBI had no reason to interview Mr. Flynn pursuant to its counterintelligence investigation is patently false, and ignores the considerable national security risk his contacts raised." pic.twitter.com/bY0qXbAmS3
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) May 7, 2020

An unbelievable betrayal of the prosecutorial equities of the United States. I will have a lot more to say about this as soon as the filing is available.https://t.co/XhHvmNSgzD
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) May 7, 2020

The attempts at revisionist history are so transparent. There isn't anything wrong with an incoming NSA talking to a counterpart. The issue was an incoming NSA offering to undo sanctions after the counterpart just ran an illegal active measures campaign to help his guy win.
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) May 7, 2020

On February 14th, Trump talked to FBI Director Comey about Michael Flynn, asking him to “let this go” because he’s a “good guy.”

Comey wouldn’t do it, so Trump fires him.

Today, Barr did what Comey was unwilling to do.
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 7, 2020

Where this may be headed: https://t.co/7vWgfXrCCp
— Frank Figliuzzi (@FrankFigliuzzi1) May 8, 2020

New HHS spokesman made racist tweets

Racism among Trump employees is not new.

Caputo is counting on surviving this and keeping his job by doubling down, telling you to GFY, and shrugging it off.

And it'll work. https://t.co/3tUeZJLA93
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 26, 2020

Trump‘s new health spokesman accused George Soros and the Rothschild family of seeking to exploit the pandemic for control and to advance their agendas. https://t.co/Y0BnGPuCXH
— Mairav Zonszein מרב זונשיין (@MairavZ) April 23, 2020

Commend CNN for calling racism by its rightful name. https://t.co/LwKjJsgUj6
— Brent Staples (@BrentNYT) April 23, 2020

And just for good measure, he repeats the "maybe a bioweapon" business, before getting the racism. https://t.co/eRmlu4Eu9N
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 23, 2020

HHS Spox Michael Caputo Deletes Slew of Tweets Featuring Coronavirus Denial, Conspiracy Theories, Racist Comments About China https://t.co/rmshj9xEyX
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) April 23, 2020

Pompeo’s disgusting comments to a reporter

What would you expect from a Trump appointee? See tweets on comments Pompeo made after the interview.

Simply a great interview. https://t.co/fKmvSO5Cf8
— Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) January 24, 2020

This is outrageous — and not the first time, my sources tell me, that @secpompeo has cursed privately at journalists whose questions he did not like. @NPRKelly is a true professional and excellent journalist. https://t.co/MCp3wOSl7C
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) January 24, 2020

Pompeo: Point out Ukraine on a map

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly: pic.twitter.com/VYu0eOOpZc
— Tim Mak (@timkmak) January 24, 2020

This is how @SecPompeo spoke to NPR's Mary Louise Kelly. @NPRKelly is an indefatigable reporter and is exquisitely polite and collegial, one of the gems of this business. What boorish and inexcusable behavior. https://t.co/YyWnoBnxwW pic.twitter.com/ZWHklBj8cZ
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) January 24, 2020

Some politicians don't realize that by treating reporters this way, they're just giving them more material. And it will often make them look worse than whatever it was they were upset about in the first place. This paints a picture of an enormously stressed out Mike Pompeo: https://t.co/xR6YLD783b
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) January 24, 2020

Pompeo is seen as a leading presidential candidate for 2024. There will likely be many such questions during that campaign. https://t.co/pEEzmpEyrr
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 24, 2020

Wait, he really … didn't think a national security reporter could find Ukraine on a map? https://t.co/OSFgTCT1I0
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 24, 2020

Chao is being investigated

Trump sure has appointed a bunch of grifters.

The House Oversight Committee launched an ethics investigation into Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

Reports allege Chao used her position to benefit a shipping company owned by her sisters and father, among other accusations.https://t.co/M1pOgrbXLC
— Axios (@axios) September 17, 2019

The House Oversight and Reform Committee on Monday sought documents from Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao as it investigates what it calls “troubling questions” into whether the Trump appointee misused her position for personal and family benefit.https://t.co/ia8xy2q1gP
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) September 18, 2019

The House Oversight Committee has finally taken notice of the Transportation Secretary’s many alleged efforts to use her office for personal gain. https://t.co/EgCeD7cg6J
— Slate (@Slate) September 18, 2019

My thoughts on swamp creatures Chao and McConnell nicely reflected in this @MatthewRozsa post: https://t.co/o3sNFmDYgx
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) September 17, 2019

Abusive Trump appointee keeps job at State Department

An investigation found that a Trump administration political appointee had been acting abusively toward staffers.

And State Department employees are furious that he's still keeping his job

https://t.co/85lYB27gtr
— POLITICO (@politico) August 17, 2019

The State Department's watchdog issued a scathing report on how Trump appointees treated career State Department employees in the bureau that oversees international organizations https://t.co/RwzWDdQcQh
— Robbie Gramer (@RobbieGramer) August 16, 2019

Cuccinelli’s racist remarks

How obviously racist can you get? The bigotry of Trump and his appointees is right out in the open now.

Cuccinelli on the Statue of Liberty sounds a lot like Trump on "shithole" countrieshttps://t.co/oiQ2l4eVgN
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) August 14, 2019

They are telling you they want the country to only be white. How much clearer could this be? https://t.co/IDK2uQnGGJ
— Neera Tanden (@neeratanden) August 13, 2019

It’s NOT like we didn’t know that Trumpers believe that European immigrants are better than other (that wasn’t true at the time, just read up on the treatment of Irish, Italians & Poles) immigrants, but MUCHAS GRACIAS to Ken CuCinelli for going full racist and making it clear.
— Pam Keith (@PamKeithFL) August 14, 2019

The whole point of the Trump political experiment has been to make subtext text. This is just the latest installment.

(P.S. It's funny how now all of Europe is okay, but 100 years ago, a man with a name like Cuccinelli was from the "wrong" part of that continent.) https://t.co/5b4NA1WoJi
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) August 14, 2019

George Washington, 1783:
"The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent & respectable Stranger, but the oppressed & persecuted of all Nations & Religions; whom we shall wellcome to a participation of all our rights & privileges"
— Michiko Kakutani (@michikokakutani) August 13, 2019

It's the daily rhetoric on immigration that's reshaping politics more than the extremes.

Trump picked it up from conservative media in 2014 and revived it, pushing his party to the right. https://t.co/oJ2s3H7xAo pic.twitter.com/EjyoP9LIYo
— Philip Bump (@pbump) August 14, 2019

Trump is not anti-immigrant. His Slovenian in-laws became US citizens last Aug.

There are nearly 6 million European immigrants.

There are 600,000 undocumented European immigrants and 100,000 undocumented Canadian immigrants.

Be clear, Trump is anti-non-white immigrant.
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) August 13, 2019

This is Trumpism in a nutshell. Rewriting the proudest of American traditions &
Reviving the worst impulses of our nation.
Disgrace. https://t.co/gDhIbIhzRz
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) August 13, 2019

The genius of America is that it is a self-selecting nation of immigrants formed by those who want a better life. That’s a huge part of what makes America more than just a place on the map with a flag. People like Cuccinelli & Trump are fundamentally anti-American. https://t.co/jR0ZsqGu44
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) August 13, 2019

This hateful, bigoted rule is a direct assault on our nation’s proud heritage as a beacon of hope and opportunity for all and a clear attempt to demonize and terrorize the newcomers who make America more American. It will be swiftly challenged and defeated in the courts. https://t.co/x5q4E6KpPD
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 13, 2019

It really is stunning that the descendent of Irish and Italian immigrants would so cavalierly attack the immigrant tradition that has made America great.https://t.co/ELqszsOjbj
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) August 13, 2019

That’s two rewrites in one day of a poem that for more than a century has defined America as a nation of immigrants, open to all. Not just European immigrants. Not just wealthy immigrants. All immigrants. My @PostOpinions column: https://t.co/Dybqgd8sRP
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) August 14, 2019

5 things you should know about Trump’s latest legal immigration crackdown: https://t.co/oSq0mcFJHV
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 13, 2019

Any immigrant who, like Trump, can stand up on their own two feet with a “very small loan” from daddy of $60 million should be allowed to stay in America. https://t.co/fGsLkESVMl
— Ron Charles (@RonCharles) August 13, 2019

It could be helpful, when covering anti-immigration policymakers like @USCISCuccinelli, to include *their* immigrant story for context (which I assume is in public records). They are trying to create an Us v. Them paradigm, while distancing themselves from their own history 1/
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) August 14, 2019

Trump wants to politicize intelligence agencies

He’s more concerned with protecting himself than protecting the country. Ratcliffe is unqualified. He did defend Trump on tv which is all that matters.

The fear I am hearing about Ratcliffe tonight: That he will politicize intelligence the way Barr has done to the Justice Department.
— Kate Brannen (@K8brannen) July 29, 2019

Trump is consolidating his personal control over the intelligence community. Between loyalists Barr and Radcliffe, and pliant CIA and FBI directors, Trump is close to neutralizing intelligence and law enforcement as spoilers in his bid to amass unprecedented executive power. https://t.co/gFjO717upb
— Rolf Mowatt-Larssen (@AmericanMystic) July 28, 2019

Ratcliffe as DNI, like Barr at Justice, like Trump's appointees to the Supreme Court and McConnell in the Senate, will be part of the president's praetorian guard, men given positions of great power who have but a single mission, to protect and enable Trump.
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) July 28, 2019

In a nutshell: Ratcliffe will be the Barr of the Intelligence Community. Think about that. It is a consolidation of power for Trump and the worst forces at work in our country today.
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) July 28, 2019

Here's @peterbergencnn on the Ratcliffe nomination: "Trump clashes with a truth teller and replaces him with a partisan sycophant." https://t.co/EU4Xa9DndS
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 29, 2019

That Ratcliffe should not be confirmed is overwhelmingly obvious. He has no experience. He is being appointed because a criminal presidency* needs a front man in intel. https://t.co/hXFltRo4tM
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) July 29, 2019

I heard Ratcliffe say the Mueller report was authored by “Hillary Clinton’s…defense team.” This kind of idiotic conspiracy-theory nonsense disqualifies him to be Director of National Intelligence (he lacks the requisite intel experience, judgement and allegiance to the truth). https://t.co/T2aeeewVOw
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) July 29, 2019

“Clean house.”
ODNI is full of career intel officers, starting with DepDir Gordon. Their job is to speak truth as they understand it. In that context, can “clean house” mean anything other than “get people who will tell us what we want to hear”? https://t.co/VLaIcY2S0s
— Tamara Cofman Wittes (@tcwittes) July 29, 2019

Does it worry Republican senators that Trump just nominated a congressman who delivered one of the most intellectually dishonest (or downright stupid) performances in the Mueller hearings? It should. https://t.co/ydIIhcdh3g
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 28, 2019

Predecessors in this role:
1) Career diplomat, former ambass to UN, Mexico, Iraq, other cos
2) Career Navy, former head of Nat Sec Agency
3) Career Navy former CINCPAC
4) Career Air Force, former head of DIA
5) Former Sen, ambass to Germany
Now Ratcliffe https://t.co/uzkxAVw2eR https://t.co/3wc9As9Dw7
— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) July 28, 2019

John Ratcliffe, by one measure the second most conservative member of Congress, appears to believe that the Russia investigation was cooked up by Democrats who “committed crimes.” Now Trump reportedly is considering placing atop the US intelligence community.
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) July 28, 2019

Some more on Ratcliffe – POTUS loved watching him at the hearings and wants someone who he sees as defending him. But Ratcliffe was making statements he has long believed, and was not so focused on the Audience of One, per his allies. He also wants to clean house at ODNI.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 28, 2019

The bad news about John Ratcliffe:

1. He's completely unqualified for the job
2. He's a Trump sycophant
3. See and 1 and 2.

The good news about Ratcliffe:

1. He's not Nunes.
2. … https://t.co/1Yw3G9AvaE
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 28, 2019

This Ratcliffe interview is worth watching in light of today's news. h/t @shaneharris https://t.co/53CF6rQeZt
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 28, 2019

Tryout at the Mueller testimony went well! https://t.co/JVCLLjaGHR
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) July 28, 2019

2nd term Rep from Texas. Heritage ranks as 2nd most conservative in the House. Critic of Mueller and Russia investigation. No intel background, former small town mayor and federal prosecutor. Interested in cybersecurity in the House https://t.co/NUUqkbA533
— David Burbach (@dburbach) July 28, 2019