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US President Donald Trump has requested – and received – the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The Department of Justice will be led by his chief of staff Matthew Whitaker until a permanent replacement is nominated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well!\u201d<\/em> Trump said on Twitter Wednesday afternoon, after announcing the appointment of Whitaker.<\/p>\n We are pleased to announce that Matthew G. Whitaker, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice, will become our new Acting Attorney General of the United States. He will serve our Country well….<\/p>\n \u2014 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n There is a potential problem with Whitaker\u2019s appointment over the head of the current deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, who has been in charge of special counsel Robert Mueller\u2019s investigation into allegations of Trump-Russia \u201ccollusion\u201d during the 2016 presidential election. Rosenstein was confirmed to his post by the Senate, whereas Whitaker was not.<\/p>\n Also, Whitaker would be taking over from Rosenstein the oversight of the Mueller investigation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Acting Attorney General is in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice,\u201d<\/em> DOJ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores told reporters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The sacking of Sessions and the appointment of Whitaker have alarmed Democrats, who are concerned that Trump is making moves to shut down the Mueller probe. Prior to becoming Sessions\u2019 chief of staff in September 2017, Whitaker worked as a legal commentator for CNN, and at one point<\/a> argued that Mueller\u2019s investigation was becoming a \u201cwitch hunt.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general.<\/p>\n \u2014 Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 7, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n There have already been calls by Democrats in Congress for Whitaker to recuse himself from the Russia probe.<\/p>\n Anyone who attempts to interfere with or obstruct the Mueller inquiry must be held accountable. This is a red line. We are a nation of laws and norms not subject to the self interested actions of one man.<\/p>\n \u2014 Eric Holder (@EricHolder) November 7, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n After opposing Sessions\u2019 appointment as AG and criticizing him for enacting Trump\u2019s policies at the DOJ for the past two years, many Democrats are now decrying his firing as obstruction of justice.<\/p>\n President Trump just removed Jeff Sessions. He wants an Attorney General to serve his interest, not the public.<\/p>\n Mueller’s investigation and the independence of the DOJ must be protected. Whitaker and any nominee must commit to doing both.<\/p>\n We will protect the rule of law.<\/p>\n \u2014 Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) November 7, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Old and busted: “Jeff Sessions must resign as AG” because he can’t be trusted. Same guy. pic.twitter.com\/vSMHTyPtJv<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sean Davis (@seanmdav) November 7, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Sessions, a senator from Alabama at the time, joined the Trump campaign early on and was considered a favorite to take over the Department of Justice in the new administration. He was immediately forced to recuse himself from any probes into \u201cRussiagate,\u201d due to his role in the campaign, however.<\/p>\n Since then, Trump has frequently clashed with Sessions over the DOJ\u2019s handling of the Russia probe. The DOJ\u2019s refusal to comply with congressional oversight requests to turn over documents related to the FBI\u2019s spying on the Trump campaign also caused increasing frustration at the White House, prompting the president to declare at one point, \u201cI have no attorney general!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not happy at the border, I\u2019m not happy with numerous things,\u201d<\/em> including the Russia probe, Trump told The Hill in September. \u201cI\u2019m very disappointed in Jeff. Very disappointed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Sessions has maintained his loyalty to Trump and the president\u2019s law and order agenda, even in the resignation letter.<\/p>\n In his resignation letter, SESSIONS writes, “we have restored and upheld the rule of law — a glorious tradition that each of us has a responsibility to safeguard.” pic.twitter.com\/w47dnvNc3X<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n
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New hotness: Trump is corrupt for asking Sessions to resign.<\/p>\n\n\n