Rod Rosenstein apparently told senators he knew Comey was going to be fired regardless of his memo

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's memo was cited by the White House as the impetus for President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey — but apparently Rosenstein knew Comey was going to be axed before he even wrote the memo. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) told reporters Thursday that Rosenstein made that admission in an earlier all-senators meeting about Comey.

"He did acknowledge that he learned Comey would be removed prior to him writing his memo," McCaskill said, referring to Rosenstein's memo urging Trump to oust Comey. Trump muddied the White House's original story for Comey's abrupt firing last week when he told NBC's Lester Holt that he was going to fire Comey "regardless of recommendation," days after the White House had already said said Rosenstein's memo was the catalyst.

There has been no explanation offered yet as to why Rosenstein was asked to write a memo justifying a decision that Trump had already made — and was going to make with or without Rosenstein's blessing.

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