STONEWALL WHITAKER
Acting AG re uses angry Dems on the Hill
Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, testifying before a phalanx of angry Democrats on Friday, firmly denied interfering in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation — but spent most of his time refusing to answer questions and trying to run out the clock.
Appearing before the House Judiciary Committee, the acting AG repeatedly clashed with Dems who wanted him to tell them what assurances he may have given President Trump before he was picked to replace Jeff Sessions and what role he has played while overseeing Mueller’s inquiry.
But Whitaker — who has been an outspoken critic of Mueller’s probe in the past — stonewalled the questioners and appeared to misunderstand who calls the shots in Congress.
“Mr. Chairman, I see that your five minutes is up,” Whitaker said, as New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler (DBrooklyn) opened up the hearing and tried to pin him down on a Mueller-related line of questioning.
Whitaker’s slight drew loud gasps in the hearing room. Committee chairs like Nadler hold supreme power in Congress and can decide who gets to ask questions and for how long.
After more stalling, Whitaker finally sought to assure Dems he wasn’t poking around in Mueller’s business.
“We have followed the special counsel’s regulations to a T,” Whitaker said. “There has been no event, no decision, that has required me to take any action, and I have not interfered in any way with the special counsel’s investigation.”
But Dems weren’t convinced, as Whitaker declined to discuss any conversations he had with Trump or go into any specific details about Mueller’s inquiry.
“We’re all trying to figure out: Who are you, where did you come from and how the heck did you become the head of the Department of Justice,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn and Queens) said.
When Whitaker tried to reply, Jeffries fired back, “Mr. Whitaker, that was a statement, not a question. I assume you know the difference.”
Trump stoked controversy when he circumvented succession-of-power protocol by appointing Whitaker as acting AG without Senate approval.
Whitaker testified he has not since being appointed talked to Trump or White House officials about Mueller’s investigation into possible coordination between Russians and the President’s campaign ahead of the 2016 election.
But he wouldn’t comment on the nature of conversations he did have with Trump.
“I trust that members of this committee will respect the confidentiality that is necessary to the proper functioning of the presidency, just as we respect the confidentiality necessary to the legislative branch,” Whitaker said.
The heated testimony came just days before Whitaker is slated to step down and be replaced by William Barr, who was picked by Trump to permanently replace Sessions. Barr is expected to be confirmed by the Senate next week.