In what is clearly a case of leaving before he was publicly pushed, Donald Trumps favorite cabinet member pinta Jeff Sessions has resigned as Attorney General.
Never expected to last long after yesterdays midterm elections, the former Alabama Senator and long time Saturday Night Live foil submitted his resignation under pressure and the President accepted the exit he has long desired. The letter to Trump clearly states, “at your request,” as why Sessions was heading for the door today.
After a trainwreck of a press conference today where changes in the cabinet were said to be coming later and the reinvigoration of Robert Muellers investigation, Trump made the announcement via social media:
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….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018
Openly enraged by Sessions early recusal of himself from the probe of Trumps 2016 campaign and possible collusion with the Russian government, the former Celebrity Apprentice host then posted perhaps his most insincere tweet ever, and thats saying something:
….We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well! A permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018
Whitaker will now oversee special counsel Robert Muellers probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, according to a Justice Department spokesperson. As acting attorney general, he could circumscribe Muellers authority, slash his budget or order him to end certain lines of inquiry.
Indeed, Whitaker has openly discussed how Sessions successor could cut Muellers budget so drastically “his investigation grinds to almost a halt.”
SNLs Kate McKinnon mined Sessions sycophantic dedication to Trump for comedic gold, donning a white wig and a deep southern drawl. In her first appearance as the attorney general, she played sidekick to Melissa McCarthys Sean Spicer.
One particularly memorable bit that hinted at the attorney generals tenuous status within the Trump White House. McKinnons Sessions explains to Anderson Cooper (Alex Moffat) why he fired former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe just before he was about to retire.
“Hello! Look at me, I still got a job,” McKinnons wily Sessions said. “Mr. McCabe was in clear violation, because of his lack of candor — I dont know, I cant even dance around — Trump made me do it! McCabe, he saw too much.”
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