FBI chief firing ramps up outrage at 10th Vigil for Democracy

May 10, 2017 – ground zero plus one on push comes to shove about exactly what constitutes patriotism 228 years after America’s Constitution was ratified. Photos/Roger Bianchini

One day after President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, initially according to Trump spokes-people from Sean Spicer to Kelly Anne Conway to Vice President Michael Pence, because “he done poor Hillary wrong” some six months earlier; and six days after the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved the Trump-Paul Ryan health care plan, Len Sherp held his tenth weekly Vigil for Democracy on May 10, 2017.

And that May 9 firing of the man at the head of the FBI investigation into possible Trump campaign ties to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election just added fuel to the fire of the 20 or so anti-Trump demonstrators on the scene.  Those demonstrators were already angry at House Republicans’ May 4 passage of “Trumpcare” (aka the American Health Care Act).

Covering ALL the bases, vigil organizer Len Sherp, left, gets some assistance on primary issues at 10th weekly Vigil for Democracy.

Initial reports on the AHCA indicate than rather than fix the flaws in ACA coverage, it will not only defund or divert billions of dollars from existing coverage into state slush funds with no guarantees that money will ever be spent on the health care of Americans; but also drop an estimated 24 million Americans from existing, lower cost national health care coverage.

Some who have actually read the bill report that contrary to assertions by some Republicans, the Trump-Ryan plan would remove the ACA’s pre-existing condition protections.  It is even said to add some things, from “irregular periods” to the “consequences of rape” to a pending list of pre-existing conditions that health care companies could use to disqualify women from eligibility.

So, it was perhaps not surprising to see vigil signs reading:

Health Care was one of two main thrusts at the 10th weekly Vigil for Democracy in Front Royal, Virginia.

• Trumpcare is a GOP war on the poor;
• Trumpcare: NOT better; NOT cheaper; NOT easier – Believe me;
• Greed Trumps Health Care;

… next to a few nods to the vote our own Sixth District Congressman Bob Goodlatte said he was “thrilled” to cast for the Trump-Ryan plan:

• Repeal and Replace Goodlatte;
• Goodlatte “thrilled” to take away your health care;

… to a broader indictment of the Party now in control of all three branches of the federal government – “Kill grandma; Have a beer: just another perfect day in the Republican Party”

Some are asking exactly what the Trump administration and House Republicans have put forward to improve affordable health care for average Americans.

About the FBI …

Then there were the protests against Comey’s firing just as the FBI investigation into the Trump campaign’s Russian ties was picking up steam, with then Director Comey becoming increasingly involved.  That involvement reportedly included daily briefings, rather than the weekly the director had previously been getting; as well as Comey’s just-submitted request to Congress for additional resources for his agency’s investigation into potential criminal activity by Trump associates interacting with Russian operatives on Trump’s behalf in the 2016 election.  So, next to the health care signs were those reading:

Russian influence, and possible interest, in seeing Donald Trump elected president of the United States has been on some minds – see you later, James Comey …

• Investigate Russian collusion;
• Investigate Trump’s Russian connections;
• Independent counsel NOW; and
• I am here because Trump is a dangerous man.

And if there was distress at the perceived danger vigil participants believe Trump and at least some of his Republican allies in Congress present to the checks and balances of the American system of government and its federal law enforcement apparatus, that distress appeared balanced in equal measure by a sense of outrage.

That outrage can only have been accentuated the day after vigil number 10 when Trump contradicted his staffs’ earlier explanations for the Comey firing, admitting explosively to NBC’s Lester Holtz that the Comey firing was his decision based at least in part on his outrage that the FBI’s Russia-Trump campaign investigation was continuing – and among other things, that Trump perceived Comey to be “a showboat”.

Spit it out, Mr. President – why was Comey really fired?

I have hired a “really tremendous” law firm to tell the attorney general I have NO financial interests in Russia …

Hence the lone “Independent counsel NOW” sign present on May 10 is likely to see similarly-toned companions at coming vigils.  In fact, with our congressional representative chairing the House Judiciary Committee that very topic was raised in the hours before the vigil’s noon start at the weekly Sixth District “Open Door” meeting hosted by a Goodlatte staffer at Samuels Public Library (see related story soon to be posted).

But if distress, anxiety and outrage were at the forefront of the May 10 Vigil for Democracy in Historic Downtown Front Royal, we again saw an indication of the positive movement we have been tracking over the past three weeks there.  The conversation that began last week between Trump supporters Ralph and Michael Waller who have been stationed across Chester Street with their “Trump-Pence” sign, and several vigil participants continued in good spirits on May 10.

Trump supporter Ralph Waller, left, and not-supporter Bob Hill are still good, and picked up their conversation on where the two sides might have common ground for a second week.

In fact, one of those vigil participants we pictured talking with the Wallers last week, Bob Hill, spent at least the first 40 minutes of the noon to 1 p.m. demonstration across the street on that Trump-enclave bench in front of the Waller’s pawn shop.  At 12:40 p.m. Hill and the Wallers were continuing the conversation seeking common ground between the two sides that began on May 3.

As the May 10 vigil was beginning, the Wallers and Hill confirmed that initial common ground found the previous week revolved around a mutual concern for the environment, particularly here in the shadow of the Shenandoah, with the health of our rivers.

After a good half hour on the ‘other side of the street’, Bob Hill appears to be offering Michael Waller help with his Trump-Pence campaign sign – but could there have been an ulterior motive?

Stay tuned for further episodes of “the conversation starts here in River City” …