President Trump’s pick to replace ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions plans to take over oversight of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed Wednesday.
“The Acting Attorney General is in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice,” DOJ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said in a statement to The Hill.
The move means that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will no longer oversee the federal Russia investigation, which he has looked over since Sessions recused himself early last year due to his work on Trump’s campaign.
Trump on Wednesday afternoon announced Matthew Whitaker, who served as Sessions’s chief of staff at the DOJ, as his temporary replacement atop the department after abruptly ousting Sessions.
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#BREAKING: Trump acting AG pick replaces Rosenstein in overseeing Mueller probe https://t.co/uDfvzgIlhD pic.twitter.com/bTQs9OS1DZ
— The Hill (@thehill) November 7, 2018
“There is singularly one investigation that the President cares about and that is the investigation into his campaign." Former FBI official Josh Campbell says Trump's new acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker’s criticism of the Russia probe "would resonate" with the President pic.twitter.com/FPeeYPpURC
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) November 7, 2018
“It may be now that the President is putting someone in place who would be loyal to him based on some of the past statements that Whitaker has been on record saying.”
– CNN Law Enforcement Analyst @joshscampbell reacts to Matthew Whitaker’s appointmenthttps://t.co/mvXxqJSVWX pic.twitter.com/4vfeFiP80r
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) November 7, 2018
We all knew the Mueller inquiry was entering its decisive phase after the midterms. Trump is just crassly moving the timetable up. Mueller anticipated all this. Data has been shared. IC has backups of their stuff. Trump can't make it stop altogether. But he appears to be trying.
— John Schindler (@20committee) November 7, 2018
No surprise here. But yes, I think this horse is already out of the barn. No way Trump can close the barn door now.
2. First, Whitaker has spoken and written publicly on the Mueller investigation. This clearly creates an appearance of a conflict of interest. He must consult with the ethics people as his former boss did and, if it is warranted, recuse. Period. But assuming he does not:
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) November 8, 2018
4. Further, he has to document these decisions. The standard in the Special Counsel regulations for denying a request or recommendation of the Special Counsel is that it is "so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices that it should not be pursued."
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) November 8, 2018
6. Evenf he wanted to "starve the investigation," the SC regs state that the budget for the coming year must be approved within 90 days of the fiscal year. The fiscal year already started on October 1, and so the budget is in place until Sept '19. The next approval is in June '19
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) November 8, 2018
8. Important to keep in mind that his comments were made when he, like the rest of us, only knew what was public — which, in summer '17, wasn't much. Since then, we've had indictments and guilty pleas on Manafort, Gates, Flynn, Papadopolous, Cohen, and a bunch of Russians.
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) November 8, 2018
10. Also, at a personal level, until now his loyalty as Chief of Staff has been to Sessions — someone he saw get berated, insulted, pressured, and humiliated by POTUS. He may have seen more cray behind the scenes. I wouldn't count on his loyalty suddenly switching to POTUS.
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) November 8, 2018
12. In short, the rules, culture, and incentives all point to just keeping what's happening on track, not going off a cliff, which would be professional suicide. I may be proven wrong, I hope I'm not. END
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) November 8, 2018
That’s it. This investigation will be shut down. I guess Mueller was getting too close to the truth.
This is an incredible story about the new Acting Attorney General of the United States. https://t.co/7LM989ZpyG
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) November 8, 2018
Not clear to me a nonSenate confirmed mere Chief of Staff to AG can exercise the powers of AG (incl supervising Mueller).Trump’s own favorite Justice, Clarence Thomas, 3 yrs ago said he couldn’t. Regardless, any constitutionally conscientious Pres would never do this. More coming
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) November 7, 2018
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