Reporter, HuffPost. 11/21/2018 05:07pm EST. Matthew Whitaker, President Donald Trump ’s pick to replace ousted former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has come under fire for his objections to investigating the president, his suspicious business history and his possible legal violations.
Whitaker as Acting Attorney General, that ruling would equally benefit the admin-istration of justice by removing the cloud of uncertainty over the appointment and by resolving the burgeoning number of challenges to it that are otherwise likely to be filed in the lower courts.
Feb 08, 2019 · Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker explained why he thinks President Trump selected him for the top Justice role, highlighting his past experience as a prosecutor and his proximity to former ...
Nov 14, 2018 · WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Wednesday released an internal legal opinion...
After leaving the Justice Department, Whitaker became a guest on news and analysis shows, and was affiliated with the law firm of Graves Garrett. In August 2019, he became a managing director at Axiom Strategies and Clout Public Affairs.
Marci WhitakerMatthew Whitaker / Spouse
William BarrPresidentGeorge H. W. BushPreceded byDonald B. AyerSucceeded byGeorge J. Terwilliger IIIUnited States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel30 more rows
6′ 4″Matthew Whitaker / Height
Jeff SessionsPresidentDonald TrumpDeputyDana Boente (acting) Rod RosensteinPreceded byLoretta LynchSucceeded byWilliam Barr33 more rows
Alberto GonzalesOfficial portrait, 200580th United States Attorney GeneralIn office February 3, 2005 – September 17, 2007PresidentGeorge W. Bush31 more rows
List of U.S. attorneys generalAttorney GeneralYears of serviceMerrick Garland2021-PresentLoretta Lynch2015-2017Eric Holder2009-2015Michael B. Mukasey2007-200982 more rows
Christine BarrWilliam Barr / Wife (m. 1973)
Jeffrey A. RosenPreceded byWilliam BarrSucceeded byMonty Wilkinson (acting)38th United States Deputy Attorney GeneralIn office May 22, 2019 – December 23, 202027 more rows
On Wednesday, the political watchdog group American Oversight called on the Office of Special Counsel to investigate Whitaker for possible violations of the Hatch Act, which restricts political activities by federal employees.
Whitaker collected more than $1.2 million as the leader of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a group that described itself as a charitable nonprofit dedicated to “promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas,” though it largely worked to promote conservative causes.
In a conflict of interest that’s most certainly not lost on Trump, Whitaker has been openly critical of Mueller’s investigation into the Trump campaign ― an investigation he now oversees until Trump taps a permanent replacement.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) questioned Whitaker about special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Nadler asked Whitaker if he and Trump had discussed the ongoing probe. In response to Nadler's questions, Whitaker insisted that he has "not interfered in any way" with the ongoing probe.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) pressed Whitaker on a memo that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein sent to special counsel Robert Mueller about the scope of the special counsel's investigation. In a fiery exchange, Jordan asked Whitaker if Rosenstein gave "the special counsel the authority to investigate specific Americans."
Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker is sworn in before testifying at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Justice Department, at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on February 8, 2019. (Getty/Saul Loeb)
Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, questioned Whitaker about the baseless claim that CNN might have been tipped off to the arrest of Roger Stone , a longtime associate and informal adviser to President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" prompted widespread outcry. It required criminal prosecution for all families who enter the United States illegally, scrapping a practice, known as "catch and release," of releasing migrants apprehended at the border while their immigration cases are pending.