On top of the high-profile testimony of Attorney General Jeff Sessions before the Senate Intelligence Committee Tuesday, the media was swarming over a rumor President Trump was looking to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller. “Is the President now considering firing special prosecutor Robert Mueller who is now overseeing the Russia investigation,” speculated ABC Anchor David Muir during World News Tonight. All of the Big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) pushed the rumor despite the fact that their source admits he never spoke with the President and thinks he wouldn’t do it.
The media’s hysteria was triggered by Chris Ruddy, the CEO of Newsmax who appeared on PBS’s Newshour and stated: “Well, I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he's-- he's weighing that option.” That was enough to send them into a full blown panic.
“In the White House today, President Trump ignoring the question,” reported ABC’s Senior White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega. “That after his close friend Chris Ruddy, a conservative media mogul and ABC News contributor, said the President is indeed contemplating firing the man leading the investigation into possible ties between his campaign and Russia.”
Vega appeared to try and put the viewers’ fears to rest when she explained that “President Trump cannot directly fire Mueller himself, but he could instruct his Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to do so.” She then added that in a separate testimony Tuesday, Rosenstein told a Senate panel he wouldn’t allow it.
On CBS Evening News, Correspondent Margaret Brennan highlighted GOP leaders who came out and made public statements of support for Mueller. She then swiftly tried to back up the claims about Trump with the opinion of someone else who had hammered Mueller. “On CBS This Morning former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who had initially said he was a fan of Mueller, accused him of picking politically biased investigators,” she reported, as though his statement somehow belonged to Trump.
The source of the media’s furious reporting, Chris Ruddy actually sat down with White House Correspondent Kristen Welker for NBC Nightly News. “If you read “The Art of the Deal,” he always says keep all your options open. Do I think he’ll actually fire him? No,” Ruddy told her.
But what Welker and the other network reporters failed to mention, were the comments Ruddy made on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports where he clarified what he meant:
I did not talk to the President about the issue. I don’t believe he will fire him. I think if they did fire him, it would be a mistake. I do believe he has the legal right to do it. I do believe it was considered as an option.
Vega seemed to scoff at the Trump administration’s defense when they said Ruddy didn’t speak with Trump, which was something Ruddy corroborated on MSNBC. “But the White House is pushing back, saying Ruddy does not speak for the President,” she noted in a skeptical tone.
So, of course, they would ignore Ruddy’s clarification that he doesn’t think Trump would actually fire Mueller. The Big Three Networks’ willful omission of that point just goes to show how they push the worst case scenario as what was occurring with Trump.
Transcripts below:
ABC
World News Tonight
June 13, 2017
6:36:51 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: And while Attorney General Jeff Sessions was testifying on Capitol Hill, President Trump was on a road trip to talk about jobs in this country, but following him to Wisconsin, this question tonight: Is the President now considering firing special prosecutor Robert Mueller who is now overseeing the Russia investigation? Here's ABC's Senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega.
[Cuts to video]
CECILIA VEGA: In the White House today, President Trump ignoring the question.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Should Robert Mueller be fired?
VEGA: That after his close friend Chris Ruddy, a conservative media mogul and ABC News contributor, said the President is indeed contemplating firing the man leading the investigation into possible ties between his campaign and Russia.
CHRIS RUDDY: I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he's weighing that option.
VEGA: But the White House is pushing back, saying Ruddy does not speak for the President. House Speaker Paul Ryan jumping to Robert Mueller's defense.
(…)
VEGA: President Trump cannot directly fire Mueller himself, but he could instruct his Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to do so. But today, on Capitol Hill, Rosenstein said that's not happening.
(…)
...
CBS Evening News
June 13, 2017
6:35:03 PM EasternSCOTT PELLEY: Well, after Comey was fired, the Justice Department named former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to independently investigate the Russia case. Well, today, Margaret Brennan tells us a number of top officials had to come to Mueller's defense.
[Cuts to video]
(…)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan expressed support today for Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russian election meddling and allegations of Trump campaign collusion. It was prompted by this comment from Trump confidant and Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy yesterday on PBS.
CHRIS RUDDY: Well, I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he's-- he's weighing that option.
BRENNAN: On CBS This Morning former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who had initially said he was a fan of Mueller, accused him of picking politically biased investigators.
NEWT GINGRICH: His first four attorneys are all Democrats. One of them worked for the Clinton foundation. He, apparently, couldn't find a single pro-Trump attorney to hire and I just think that's a rigged game.
BRENNAN: Mueller, a former FBI director, will also explore whether the abrupt firing of James Comey in May was an attempt by the President to obstruct the FBI's Russia inquiry. In order to dismiss Mueller, the President would have to get consent from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
(…)
BRENNAN: President Trump ignored questions about Mueller's fate.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
BRENNAN: In fact, the White House says that President Trump interviewed Mueller for the FBI director job just the day before the Justice Department announced that he'd serve as an impartial special counsel. Scott, confidants of the President say this presents yet another conflict for Mueller.
...
NBC Nightly News
June 13, 2017
7:06:55 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: And while all of that was playing out today, the future of Robert Mueller, the special counsel in the Russian investigation has called into question. Will they stay or not? This comes after a friend of the President says he thinks Mr. Trump is considering removing Mueller. We get the latest from NBC News White House Correspondent Kristen Welker.
[Cuts to video]
KRISTEN WELKER: President Trump under fire amid explosive allegations he's considering firing Robert Mueller, the special counsel heading the Russia probe. Mr. Trump ignoring shouted questions today.
(…)
WELKER: The suggestion raised by the President's longtime friend, Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy. The White House saying Ruddy never spoke directly with the President about Mueller. Ruddy acknowledging that, but doubling down.
CHRIS RUDDY: If you read “The Art of the Deal,” he always says keep all your options open. DO I think he’ll actually fire him? No. But do I think it was an option or has been an option? Yes.
WELKER: Is it because of something you heard from top officials at the White House?
RUDDY: I already said I’m not going to reveal who my sources are, but that I felt confident in saying it.
(…)
