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WASHINGTON – President Trump said Friday that he had not yet spoken to the new Acting Attorney General, Matthew G. Whitaker, of the investigation conducted by the special advocate. He distanced himself from Mr. Whitaker – long regarded as one of the president's loyalists – by suggesting that he did not know him.
Mr. Whitaker, who currently oversees the investigation, has visited the Oval Office several times and would have an easy chemistry with the President, according to people close to the relationship. And the president viewed Mr. Whitaker as his eyes and ears at the Department of Justice.
"I do not know Matt Whitaker," Trump told reporters as he was leaving Washington for a weekend in Paris. Mr. Trump pointed out that, even though he did not know Mr. Whitaker, he knew his reputation well. Matt M. Whitaker "is a highly respected man," said Trump.
Mr. Whitaker publicly endorsed Mr. Trump stating that the investigation into Russian interference in the elections and on any connection with Mr. Trump's campaign led by Robert S. Mueller III , the special advocate, is a mistake. This raised questions about the changes Mr. Whitaker could make to Mr. Mueller's mandate, particularly those that might benefit Mr. Trump.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit also wishes to know the impact of Mr. Whitaker on the Special Council's investigation. On Friday, the court requested a report from the Justice Department and Mueller's team on the consequences of Mr. Whitaker's appointment in the case, which was previously overseen by Rod J. Rosenstein, Attorney Deputy General. .
As such, Whitaker helped stabilize the tense relationship between Trump and Sessions, officials who knew the dynamics well.
Mr. Whitaker attended meetings at the White House; in some cases both the president and the attorney general were present, officials also said.
In August, when the relationship between Mr. Trump and Mr. Sessions reached a low point and the two men exchanged a rare public outbid, Mr. Whitaker attended a meeting on prison reform with the two later during the day.
Yet on Friday morning, Mr. Trump said four times that he did not know Mr. Whitaker.
The Democrats have called Mr. Whitaker to recuse himself from the Special Advisor's investigation into what they consider to be his conflicts of interest, including his public criticisms of the investigation and its links. with a witness at the inquiry. The witness, Sam Clovis, is a former Trump campaign assistant and former Iowa treasurer candidate. In 2014, Mr. Whitaker was president of Mr. Clovis' unsuccessful campaign.
On Friday, Trump said he was a little surprised that the appointment of Mr. Whitaker is causing such criticism.
"You had no problem with Matt Whitaker when he was working for Jeff Sessions," Trump said.
"No matter who I put, they go after him," said Mr. Trump of his nominees. "It's very sad."
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the leader of the minority, sent the president Friday, a letter asking for explanations on the justifications of Mr. Trump and the authorities asking him to appoint Mr. Whitaker to replace Mr. Sessions, a decision going against the succession plan to go first to the Deputy Attorney General – Mr. Rosenstein – when the highest position is vacant. The president has publicly criticized Mr. Rosenstein as well.
"Mr. Whitaker is an appointed politician who does not hold a confirmed Senate position in the Justice Department," wrote Mr. Schumer. "I am not aware of any precedent for the appointment. of an official that the Senate has not confirmed to act as acting Attorney General. "
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said in an interview Friday that he was considering filing a complaint to challenge Mr. Whitaker's appointment, likely for reasons raised by Mr. Schumer.
"This extremely flawed appointment raises a number of very serious constitutional issues," said Blumenthal.
Mr. Trump, however, has powers in a separate statute that gives him the ability to make temporary appointments without confirmation by the Senate.
On Friday morning, Mr. Trump told reporters that Mr. Whitaker was not the right choice to lead the department, because, as Mr. Schumer said, Mr. Whitaker currently holds it. not a confirmed position in the Senate.
"Mueller has not been confirmed by the Senate. So, he makes a report. It has not been confirmed by the Senate, "said Trump. "Whitaker has been confirmed by the Senate. And now, he does not need that anymore, but he was confirmed at the highest level by the Senate when he was Iowa's American lawyer. "
The Senate upheld the appointment of Mr. Whitaker when he was US Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa during the administration of George W. Bush. But Mr. Mueller was there too. In 2001, the Senate confirmed that Mr. Mueller was the F.B.I. director. And he went through previous confirmations in the Senate as US Attorney in the Northern District of California, as well as when he was Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice in the early 1990s.
The position of Special Advisor does not require confirmation from the Senate.
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