Whitaker rejected ethics official's advice he should recuse from Russia probe

[spanone]

Washington (CNN)Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker disregarded the advice of a Justice Department ethics official to step aside from overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, according to a senior department official close to the process.

Whitaker, who has previously criticized the investigation, never sought a formal recommendation about whether he needed to recuse, the source said. Instead, he received guidance on his options and the applicable rules over the course of three meetings with ethics officials and multiple discussions with his own advisers.

Ultimately, it was Whitaker's decision, but the view of ethics officials will likely raise fresh questions for Democrats on Capitol Hill who have sounded the alarm about whether he will try to undercut Mueller's work.

The ethics officials concluded there was no actual legal conflict presented that would require Whitaker to recuse himself. For example, he doesn't have a familial member involved in the probe, and unlike the situation with former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Whitaker was not a surrogate for President Donald Trump's campaign.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/20/politics/matthew-whitaker-attorney-general-robert-mueller-investigation/index.html

[uponit7771]

1. Most likely the reason why a lot of winger sources went dark weeks ago ... timing is notable

[BigmanPigman]

2. And the other AG, Barr, is biased...therefore lots of DISTRACTIONS today

and most likely continuing at a heavy pace.

"Earlier, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer blasted Barr in a statement."

"Mr. Barr's memo reveals that he is fatally conflicted from being able to oversee the Special Counsel's investigation and he should not be nominated to be attorney general," Schumer said. "Mr. Barr believes presidents in general - and more frighteningly, President Trump, who has shown less respect for the rule of law than any president - are above the law. The fact that he holds these deeply misguided views and chose to launch them in an unprovoked written attack on the Special Counsel unquestionably disqualifies Mr. Barr from serving as attorney general again."
https://abc7chicago.com/acting-ag-overseeing-special-counsel-probe-appropriately-deputy-ag-says/4936960/

[ProudLib72]

3. Here is what I have a problem with

Ultimately, it was Whitaker's decision, but the view of ethics officials will likely raise fresh questions for Democrats on Capitol Hill who have sounded the alarm about whether he will try to undercut Mueller's work.

He should not get to decide. There need to be hard, fast rules about such things. We have been struggling with this sort of crap from day one of the Rump residency. There is etiquette. You should maintain a sense of decorum. Well guess who just doesn't give a shit about any of that? I'll give you a hint: he's morbidly obese, spray tanned neon orange, is about as intelligent as a sack of marbles with a hole in the bottom, and he's in deep trouble at the moment.