Mr. Whitaker has not been named to some junior post one or two levels below the Justice Department’s top job. He has now been vested with the law enforcement authority of the entire United States government, including the power to supervise Senate-confirmed officials like the deputy attorney general, the solicitor general and all United States attorneys.
I'd like to hear from the legal guy's here on this. SH76 and No1Maruder - Does the new A.G. have the right to simply step in and run everything an A.G. normally does without Senate Confirmation? Does his past comments and deeds about the Mueller probe weigh into this at all, or is it just noise? Are there any other legal hurdles he needs to jump over before he takes this job permanently? I'd like to hear from the lawyers on this.
@mchillsaid Mr. Whitaker has not been named to some junior post one or two levels below the Justice Department’s top job. He has now been vested with the law enforcement authority of the entire United States government, including the power to supervise Senate-confirmed officials like the deputy attorney general, the solicitor general and all United States attorneys.
Due to his past comments about Mueller's investigation, he should probably recuse himself as Sessions did, but he knows that'll put a burr in his boss's shorts, so I doubt he will.
@mchillsaid Mr. Whitaker has not been named to some junior post one or two levels below the Justice Department’s top job. He has now been vested with the law enforcement authority of the entire United States government, including the power to supervise Senate-confirmed officials like the deputy attorney general, the solicitor general and all United States attorneys.
@mchillsaid Mr. Whitaker has not been named to some junior post one or two levels below the Justice Department’s top job. He has now been vested with the law enforcement authority of the entire United States government, including the power to supervise Senate-confirmed officials like the deputy attorney general, the solicitor general and all United States attorneys.
He can serve for up to 210 days before Trump has to either appoint someone new or get him confirmed by the Senate.
Until then, he can do anything an AG could do. He is acting AG.
I don't think his past comments about Mueller will matter much except insofar as it may make some Senators less likely to confirm him.
Still, with (likely) 53 or 54 GOP senators, none of which are named Corker, Flake or McCain, I imagine Trump could get a ham sandwich confirmed as AG at this point.
He can serve for up to 210 days before Trump has to either appoint someone new or get him confirmed by the Senate.
Until then, he can do anything an AG could do. He is acting AG.
I don't think his past comments about Mueller will matter much except insofar as it may make some Senators less likely to confirm him.
Still, with (likely) 53 or 54 GOP ...[text shortened]... med Corker, Flake or McCain, I imagine Trump could get a ham sandwich confirmed as AG at this point.
Why isn't there just an immediate vote on the interim appointment?