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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 21 december 2018
Whitaker rejected advice to recuse from Russia probe

By MICHAEL BALSAMO Mueller would be straying
Associated Press outside his mandate if he in-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Act- vestigated Trump's family fi-
ing Attorney General Mat- nances. In a talk radio inter-
thew Whitaker chose not view, Whitaker maintained
to recuse himself from the there was no evidence of
Russia investigation even collusion between Russia
though a top Justice De- and the Trump campaign
partment ethics official ad- during the 2016 election.
vised him to step aside out Whitaker was not required
of an "abundance of cau- to solicit a recommenda-
tion," a senior official said tion from ethics officials
Thursday. and it was at Whitaker's dis-
Whitaker's past criticism cretion whether he should
of the Russia investigation recuse, the senior official
has raised questions about said. Ethics officials had
whether he can oversee it also told Whitaker's advis-
fairly. The ethics official said ers that they had no prec-
this week that a recusal edent of another attorney
was "a close call," but sug- general recusing them-
gested that Whitaker re- selves because of a per-
move himself, even though ceived conflict.
he was not required to do In this Nov. 21, 2018 photo, Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, framed by a photograph Since taking office, Whita-
so. of lower Manhattan, addresses law enforcement officials at the Joint Terrorism Task Force in New ker has not been briefed
Whitaker decided not to York. on specific developments
take the advice. Associated Press of the special counsel's in-
Earlier Thursday, a person vestigation and Rosenstein
familiar with the matter a much more detailed ac- Members of Congress have tion had been overseen by will continue to maintain
who was not authorized count of the ethics consul- expressed concerns about Deputy Attorney General day-to-day oversight for
to discuss it publicly told tation. It showed that al- Whitaker's past criticism Rod Rosenstein until Trump the foreseeable future, the
The Associated Press that though Whitaker was not of special counsel Robert ousted Jeff Sessions as at- official added.
Whitaker did not have to required to step aside from Mueller's investigation. The torney general last month However, the official said
recuse himself from over- the investigation, the issue probe is looking at Rus- and appointed Whita- Whitaker can be briefed as
seeing the probe, but that wasn't so clear-cut. That sian interference in the ker. The senior official said the investigation moves for-
wasn't the full picture. official would discuss the 2016 election and ties to Rosenstein continues to ward, though there isn't a
Later, a senior Justice De- matter with reporters only President Donald Trump's have day-to-day oversight set timetable yet on when
partment official provided on condition of anonymity. campaign. The investiga- of the probe. that might begin.
The official said that after Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.,
Whitaker was appointed, who will take over as chair-
he formed a group of four man of the House Judicia-
Justice Department offi- ry Committee in January,
cials — led by a veteran said it was "unacceptable"
U.S. attorney — to advise that Whitaker didn't in-
him on the transition and form members of Congress
ethics process. That small about his decision not to re-
group of officials met re- cuse himself and vowed to
peatedly with the Justice question Whitaker before
Department's career ethics the committee.
officials. "More concerning, at the
Whitaker met with the eth- moment, is the fact that
ics officials three times in career DOJ ethics officials
the last six weeks, the senior appear to have had seri-
official said. During one of ous concerns about Mr.
those meetings the officials Whitaker's ability and fit-
asked Whitaker about the ness to oversee the Special
comments he made as Counsel's investigation,"
a legal commentator for Nadler said in a statement.
CNN about his views of the The Justice Department is
Mueller investigation. The planning to send a letter
remarks were made before to Senate Minority Leader
he joined the Justice De- Chuck Schumer about
partment. Whitaker's recusal decision
Whitaker had once opined and the ethics process later
about a scenario in which Thursday. The question of
Trump could fire Sessions whether an attorney gen-
and then appoint an act- eral can or should recuse
ing attorney general who from a particular criminal
could stifle the funding of investigation has long been
Mueller's probe. His other politically fraught, and de-
past public statements cisions in both directions
have included an op-ed have had far-reaching
article in which he said ramifications.q