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Friday 10 May 2019
the Mueller investigation — news reports that he had he was spinning Mueller's
a conclusion Mueller point- discussed secretly record- findings in the president's
edly did not make. ing Trump and invoking favor.
"Decisions had to be a constitutional amend- He stood silently behind
made, and those deci- ment to remove Trump as Barr at a news conference
sions fell to him and they unfit for office. He was ulti- as the attorney general
fell to him alone," Sessions mately allowed to stay on praised Trump's coopera-
told the crowd. "He made after private conversations tion in the investigation.
every decision based on with Trump and John Kelly, Toward the end of the
his best judgment of what who at the time was White ceremony Thursday,
he thought was best for House chief of staff. Rosenstein's deputy Ed
this country. He stayed the Sessions said he knew there O'Callaghan — who
course during some of the would be a lot of contro- gained Twitter fame for his
most difficult times in the versies when he took the beard after standing be-
history of the department." job. The attorney general's hind Barr at the same news
During the nearly two years office "frequently finds itself conference last month —
as deputy attorney gen- at the vortex of law and presented his boss with a
eral, Rosenstein — a Trump politics and the separation fake beard. Rosenstein put
appointee — became a of powers," he said. it on with a smile.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein walks past former At- frequent target of the presi- "But in truth, I have to say "I leave here confident that
torney General Jeff Sessions after speaking during a farewell
ceremony for Rosenstein in the Great Hall at the Department of dent and other Republi- our run exceeded my ex- justice is in good hands, in
Justice in Washington, Thursday, May 9, 2019. cans. Trump once retweet- pectations. Considerably," your hands," Rosenstein
Associated Press ed an image showing Sessions said, turning to told the audience after re-
Rosenstein and others criti- Rosenstein as laughter counting his nearly three-
ROSENSTEIN But by the end of his time cized by the president be- erupted from the audi- decade career at the Jus-
Continued from Front at the Justice Department, hind bars, calling for them ence. tice Department.
Days later, Rosenstein ap- Rosenstein appeared to be to be tried for "treason." Sessions resigned in No- Trump has nominated Jef-
pointed Mueller, a move largely in Trump's corner, In September, Rosenstein vember at the president's frey Rosen, the deputy
that Trump feared could joining Barr in determining went to the White House request, and Trump nomi- transportation secretary
end his presidency. Trump had not obstructed expecting to be fired after nated Barr as his successor. who was a longtime liti-
Rosenstein's departure had gator, to replace Rosen-
been expected after Barr stein. The Senate Judiciary
was named attorney gen- Committee on Thursday
eral. He had planned to voted to approve Rosen's
leave his post around mid- nomination, though Demo-
March, but stayed on for crats have raised questions
the completion of Mueller's about Rosen's lack of crimi-
investigation. nal law experience.
Amid backlash from Demo- The full Senate will now
crats, Rosenstein defended need to vote on his
Barr against criticism that nomination.q