Fox News has just reported that Attorney General Jeff Sessions submitted his letter of resignation Wednesday morning, effective immediately.
Matt Whittaker, Sessions’ current Chief of Staff, will take over as acting Attorney General.
President Trump asked for Sessions’ resignation this morning before a press conference, and Sessions complied.
BREAKING: "At your request, I am submitting my resignation," Jeff Sessions writes to Pres. Trump. https://t.co/MjN32KAUXh pic.twitter.com/7BesrhH7cj
— ABC News (@ABC) November 7, 2018
Sessions cited increased prosecutions of “violent offenders and firearm defendants in our country’s history,” restoring immigration enforcement, and targeting the opioid epidemic as successes, but that “restoring and upholding” the rule of law was the Department’s most important accomplishment during his tenure.
There has been talk of Whittaker will taking over the Mueller investigation, but it’s unclear if he would do that while acting Attorney General.
Judge Andrew Napolitano, appearing on Dana Perino’s show, said Trump could have a legal problem with the appointment of Whittaker.
“About Matt Whittaker, under the law the person running the Department of Justice must have been approved by the United States Senate for some previous position, even on an interim post. Who is that person? Rod Rosenstein.
Acting Attorney General Whittaker is a former US Attorney…I think Iowa. In that context he was confirmed by the United States Senate, but he was not confirmed by the United States Senate for a leadership position in the Justice Department, and the statutes require that confirmation. The White House is going to have to work this out.
Who has been confirmed and who’s next in line? Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein.
In response to press questions Wednesday morning, Trump reiterated that “for the most part” he was happy with his cabinet, but that there would be some changes.
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