Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker (New Supervisor of the Mueller Probe)

My understanding is that if he does not recuse, he is essentially putting himself in legal jeapordy if anything happens in an obstructive manner to the probe, and testimony #1 will be the ethics officials at the DOJ who this morning are briefing Whitaker on his requirement to recuse.

Two Nixon era AG’s did serious jail time because of exactly what is happening now. Whitaker is seriously putting himself in a dangerous place and it’s just astounding anyone would want that job now. Especially when the Democrats have control of the House in less than 2 months.

 

Then again, you look at cases like Michael Cohen as of recently and even think about Bork in the Nixon era. People are only loyal until they are needing to protect themselves legally.

Whitaker is a Trump surrogate who likely is in over his head. He’s probably never spoken a word to Mueller yet. He’s not seen real evidence yet I’m sure. His world is just Trump fandom and right wing social circles until now.

Whitaker was hired to do a job for Trump and he obviously is game, but I will certainly not rule out Whitaker turning on Trump and doing the right thing once he’s actually in a pisition to do so where doing the right thing means he doesn’t have to worry about his kids visiting him in prison for Christmas in 3 years.

 

Title should read. " Temporary New supervisor of soon to be casterated to protect Trump Mueller probe"

 

Important note is that if the AG refuses to comply with the special counsel, that has to get reported to Congress.

Again, I don’t think this guy has any idea what he’s gotten himself into.

 

btw, the co-author of this editorial... George Conway, aka mr. kellyanne conway...

Trump’s Appointment of the Acting Attorney General Is Unconstitutional
The president is evading the requirement to seek the Senate’s advice and consent for the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and the person who will oversee the Mueller investigation.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/08/opinion/trump-attorney-general-sessions-unconstitutional.html

 

This is true. And that nominee will be subject to public testimony and then just like Whitaker will be subject to the same oversite from Congress.

Why anyone with a history with Trump would want that appointment is beyond me. Whitaker mostly because his role is completely transparent. A Chris Christie type wouldn’t be dumb enough to step into this without assurances they going to be Trumps fall guy if this plot goes south.

 

For those that call foul on the scope of this investigation, don't forget the Bill Clinton investigation started with Whitewater and ended with Monica Lewinski. Ken Star had full authority to follow whatever rabbit holes he wanted. Goose-Gander.

 

And... why it was important to trump to name whitaker...

 

Dude's gonna step down soon. You don't want to end your career on this one chief.

 

Trump keeps drifting further and further from checks and balances and more towards a corrupt dictatorship....... to the point that extremists like Yoo are concerned.......... but dumb asses in this thread think it is a great thing.

I will tell them what I have told Republicans after GW Bush greatly expanded the power of the Presidency........ you like it now, but will you when a Democrat is in office........ then Obama took office and Democrats had no issues with an expanded executive reach.......

Trump is President right now, and he is constantly blurring the lines between executive power and violating the Constitution........ it is all good fun right now for Trumpophiles........ but will it be all fun and smiles when someone that is close to a socialist occupies the oval office and precedent has been set? I highly doubt it, and it WILL happen..... everything ebbs in flows. When that happens, I don't want to hear anyone complaining about it, when it started with a near fascist occupied the White House.

 

thanks for clarifying. upon further reading i understand that whitaker didn't say the investigation was over the line but that it is at the line.

while i may agree with you on the bold part (and maybe not how SC should work) this is, historically, exactly how SC offices operate. they begin with one target and branch out from there.

fair or not, trump's finances (related to russia or not) seem to be within the purview of the SC. if a crime was committed it will be investigated.

 

Sue the government - challenge it in court, Trump cant' appoint him without Senate approval - which is probably moot at this point anyway.

DD

 

This is the not the reason why trump appointed him. Trump knows Whitaker can’t do nothing against Mueller without it coming back to him. Whitaker is there to find out what the special consul has on him. That should be not only be illegal but should be stopped. I wonder if Mueller can withhold info. If he thinks it will end up in Trumps hands