Ok, so I have watched Comey testify twice and watched Sessions testify today, I listened to the questions put to each man, and now I am listening to the "reporters". I have to put it out there that what is not being asked, talked about, or analyzed is the fact that Comey's boss did NOT fire him--Trump's did.
Let's review the context:
1. U.S.A.G. Sessions is Comey's supervisor, responsible for reviewing his work and firing him. Rosenstein is Deputy AG.
2. Session's was an "officer" in Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Today, June 13, 2017, Sessions denied ever having received a classified or any briefing on Russia's election meddling.
3. On March 2, 2017, Sessions recused himself from any investigation involving Russia because, by March 2, 2017, he knew a law existed that required recusal of any investigative officer working on an investigation of a political campaign where that officer has a "relationship" with the campaign because of having worked in the campaign (which Sessions did work for Trump's campaign). [Today, June 13, 2017, Sessions clearly and repeatedly explained he recused himself at that time and in that manner for this exact reason and even cited the law.] This means that by March 2, 2017, Sessions knew that the Trump campaign was being investigated within the overall Russia Election Meddling investigation. His testimony strongly suggests that he knew about this fact even before being sworn in as U.S. A.G.
4. On March 20, 2017, Comey revealed to all--made public, that Trump Campaign officials are also being investigated for their alleged interactions with Russian officials during their meddling with the election.
5. On May 9, 2017, Sessions testified today, that he was asked his "opinion" about Comey's work performance by Trump, who told him to put that opinion in writing, which he did, and he delivered it to Trump along with his Deputy AG's "opinion". "Opinion" is the language Sessions used today, while also denying that no discussion of Russia investigation(s) occurred during his conversations with Trump about Comey.
This is where we should start paying close attention, because while a man can lie, he can't ever UN-KNOW a fact his brain has already processed. So, in delivering a lie or in squirming out of telling the truth, a human's response will occur in the context of knowledge of the fact trying to be hidden or circumvented.
CNN has Trump's "Comey, You're Fired" letter, Sessions' and Rosenstein's Trump-requested "Comey Opinions", and the WH's press release on the firing here: http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/09/politics/fbi-james-comey-fired-letter/index.html
6. Note that each of the men's letters May 9th, 2017 letters to Trump re: Comey's failures omit any reference to Russia investigations. In listing Comey's faults, Rosenstein certainly could have added that Comey failed to deliver to Sessions (before he recused himself) any briefing on the Russia investigation(s). This certainly would corroborate the image of Comey that Rosenstein was trying to create in his letter. Instead, the A.G. and Deputy A.G. mainly focus on Comey's improper handling of the Clinton Email/Server investigation. This cleansing of their Opinions reflects a coordinated--yet overdone, effort to make the Comey firing look justified and properly done.
7. On May 9th, 2017, Trump himself fires Comey by issuing a press release that included his terse "Comey, You're Fired" letter even before Trump's personal security officer delivered the letter to Comey. The point is, there is no reason why Sessions--who is Comey's supervisor, should not have released Comey from his job, especially if the basis for the firing is truly what Sessions writes in his "Opinion". Short of Sessions doing it correctly, Rosenstein should have done it, especially, again, if the basis for firing Comey is truly what Rosentstein (and his supervisor, Sessions) writes in his letter to Trump re: Comey's faults.
But neither of Comey's supervisors fired Comey--Trump did.
8. Less than a day later, on May 10th, 2017, while hosting Russian officials in the Oval Office, Trump admits to them that the investigation "cloud" is over now because yesterday he fired the "nutbag" Comey. Then, in an interview with Holt, Trump further admits that he fired Comey to obtain relief from the Russia investigation(s).
Ignoring the completely idiotic self-sabotaging nature of that kind of strategic analysis, let's get straight to what I think happened between Trump, Sessions, and Rosenstein on May 9th:
--Trump had what he thought would be a brain-storming session with Sessions and Rosenstein in which he specifically posited to them to fire Comey, citing how much of a relief it would be to all of them for a myriad of alleged reasons which included taking the wind out of the "witch-hunt" called the investigation into Russia's interference with the election and his campaign team.
--Sessions and Rosenstein rightly informed Trump that neither of them could fire Comey without risking what would be rightfully-deserved criticism which would very likely be so fierce as to interfere with their agendas/work product.
--Trump, working the art of the deal with our nation's top justice gate-keepers, brought Sessions and Rosenstein to compromise by insisting that they at least put in writing their "opinions" about Comey's mis-conduct.
--Trump then takes matters into his own hands and fires Comey, telling the world he did it to relieve the pressure or cloud from the FBI's Russia investigations.
What should be remembered is that Sessions, especially, has bent himself into a pretzel to avoid any linking of the firing of his own subordinate with the FBI's Russia investigation. The trouble for Sessions is that his success here corroborates the allegation that he absolutely knew what Trump was planning and took action to obstruct justice--and he, Session, has participated, aided, abetted...that crime.
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