Trump's acting attorney general, Matt Whitaker, has no intention of recusing from Russia probe, associates say

Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has no intention of recusing himself from overseeing the special counsel probe of the United States. .

Since stepping into his new role on Wednesday, Whitaker has faced questions – principally from Democrats – about whether he should recuse from the Russia investigation, given that he has written opinion a witness.

On Thursday, two people close to Whitaker said he has no intention of taking the case.

Ethics officials at the Justice Department are likely to In many instances, that office does not require a Justice Department official recuse, but suggests a course of action. In the past, senior public servants tend to follow such advice, but they are rarely required to do so, according to officials familiar with the process.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment. Officials there said Whitaker will follow the rules of procedure.

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The two people close to Whitaker also said they would strongly believe Robert S. Mueller III to subpoena the president. Mueller and Trump's lawyers have negotiated for a possible interview, with no agreement in sight.

Whitaker's elevation to become the nation's top ouster Wednesday after Jeff Sessions has attorney general. Sessions had been brought to a conclusion by the Trump, who was on Sessions because he had recused himself from the oversight of the United States.

Sessions felt that Mueller's investigation had gone on too long, but also believed it was important that he had a special interest in the subject. to be a person familiar with his thinking.

Even after he arrived at the Justice Department, Whitaker harbored frustration over the length of the special counsel probe and doubts about the scope of Mueller's authority, a person familiar with the matter said. He questioned Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein's ability to give Mueller such a wide range of questions and answers. Whitaker did, however, believe that Sessions had no choice but to recuse himself from the matter, the person said.

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While Whitaker is now Mueller's ultimate supervisor, Rosenstein would step aside. Justice Department officials said that under normal circumstances, the deputy attorney general would be likely to play an active role, and that they would have no reason to believe that Rosenstein would now be cut out.

Whitaker was almost unknown to Sessions before becoming his chief of staff. A person acquainted with the subject said he got on the White House's radar via conservative circles in Iowa, his TV appearances and his connections to the Federalist Society and other conservative groups. When Sessions's previous chief of staff, Jody Hunt, was departing, Sessions brought Whitaker in for an interview and came to like him, the person said. Another person said that remained true after Whitaker took his place.

Whitaker was a hard-charging top help to Sessions, imposing on the Justice Department his personal philosophy of starting with the end in mind. His style rubbed many the wrong way, and at times. Justice Department officials said, "awkward," because chiefs of staff typically leave the attorney general.