Opinion: Must be hard to be a genius

"Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity set the expectations for behavior," as Mueller explained his attitude in 2008, in a speech marking the FBI's 100th anniversary. "They set a standard for our work. More than just a motto, for the men and women of the FBI, Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity is a way of life."

In short, the man running the investigation into Russia’s intervention into our 2016 elections, and into “any matters that arose or may arise directly out of the investigation,” is a man with a deep, abiding respect for the independence of the FBI and the DOJ.  That unquestioned, bone-deep commitment to political independence was what led to his appointment as special counsel in the first place.

So here’s the part that I lack the mental acuity to grasp: Trump must know how sacred Mueller holds the independence of the FBI and DOJ, and that he will feel duty-bound to defend that independence. Trump must also realize that by his past meddling into the Russia investigation, he has, at the very least, made himself vulnerable to Mueller on the charge of obstructing justice.

It seems to me that in such circumstances, a wise man, a very stable genius who is in full control of his emotions, would not be muttering to White House aides about firing Mueller, particularly when he knows that those same aides will be testifying to the Mueller grand jury. Such a man would not be attempting to purge the FBI and DOJ and to intimidate them into doing his political bidding at the very time that he is being investigated for trying to purge and intimidate those agencies, especially when the head investigator is a man who would interpret such actions as an assault on the Constitution that must be confronted.

UPDATE at 1:10 p.m.: Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, one of those targeted by Trump for removal, is retiring effective immediately. Americans of all parties will regret allowing the FBI to become the plaything of whatever party is in power, but that's the precedent being set here.

A genius would not brag to the press that "I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,” but that he is abstaining “for purposes of hopefully thinking I’m going to be treated fairly.” He would not be pressuring the department to investigate and jail his political opponents; he would not publicly accuse an FBI agent of treason.

To me, those are the actions of a fool, flailing about like a beached fish. So clearly, I must be missing something.

Meanwhile, Alexei Navalny, leader of the anti-Putin resistance in Russia, was arrested and spirited away by police officers on Sunday as he attempted to join a political rally in Moscow. Police officers also raided Navalny's political headquarters, arresting two of his top aides and interrupting live video transmissions from the site.

Russian officials had previously banned Navalny from appearing on the ballot in the presidential election in March, citing a trumped-up criminal charge as the excuse. That’s the kind of thing that happens when a nation’s law enforcement and judicial systems are made loyal to a person or to a party, rather than to the law itself.

And in Washington, Trump and his White House uttered not a peep of protest. That too evades a person of my clearly limited intellect.