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Breaking: Jeff Sessions Resigns

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Attorney General Jeff Sessions offered his resignation on Wednesday, a day after the midterm elections.

According to Sessions’ resignation letter, his move came at the request of President Donald Trump.

Trump had indicated during a news conference earlier in the day there would be changes in his cabinet now that the midterm elections were over.

He tweeted afterwards that Matthew Whitaker, chief of staff to the Attorney General, would be taking over for Sessions.

“We are pleased to announce that Matthew G. Whitaker, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice, will become our new Acting Attorney General of the United States. He will serve our Country well,” Trump wrote.

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“We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well! A permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date,” Trump added.

Did Trump make a wise decision calling for Sessions’ resignation?

Trump had voiced his frustration with Sessions on multiple occasions following the DOJ chief’s decision to recuse himself from overseeing the Russia investigation in March 2017.

The president stated that he never would have appointed Sessions had he known the former Alabama senator would make that decision, which precipitated the naming of Robert Mueller as special counsel over the Russia probe.

In his resignation letter, Sessions defended his tenure as AG writing that he and his colleagues at the DOJ “have restored and upheld the rule of law” and “aggressively advanced the policy agenda of this administration.”

He cited efforts directed toward enforcing immigration laws and cracking down on “transnational gangs,” as well as prosecuting those contributing to the opioid epidemic.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said during an interview on Fox News in August that the relationship between Trump and Sessions “ain’t working.”

“If they can’t repair this relationship, and I don’t see that happening, the president deserves an attorney general he feels confident in that can lead the Department of Justice in a more effective way,” Graham stated.

He counseled at the time for Trump to wait until after the midterm elections to make a change.

In a statement following Sessions’ resignation, Graham dispelled any rumors that he would be replacing him, tweeting that “I will be part of a larger Republican majority in the United States Senate.”

Graham added, “I look forward to working with President Trump to find a confirmable, worthy successor (to Sessions) so that we can start a new chapter at the Department of Justice and deal with both the opportunities and challenges our nation faces.”

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Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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