As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Jeff Sessions has resigned effective immediately from the position of Attorney General in the Trump administration. The move came at the request of President Donald Trump after months of displeasure shown at the actions and stances of Sessions thus ending his tenure.
The Chief of Staff of the Attorney General’s office, Matthew Whitaker, has been appointed to the position as Acting Attorney General.
While President Trump thanked Sessions for his work in the position, he had been very critical of his tenure, especially regarding his recusal which led to the conviction of several prominent campaign staff such as Paul Manafort.
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
Elected officials on both sides had warned against the replacement of Sessions due to the potential political crisis that could come out of it. It is currently believed the primary reason for this removal comes from President Trump’s continued displeasure over the Russian interference investigation and the entirety of the Muller probe.
The move still comes as a shock coming only a day after the midterm elections wherein the Trump administration had lost control of the House to the Democrats, albeit much more narrowly than previously predicted by polls and general media.
Libertarians will most likely be rejoicing at the move as Sessions had been most known for his stances against the decriminalization and/or legalization of recreational marijuana use, and for his strict reinforcement of President Trump’s expansive law-and-order focus across the nation. The form that this law-and-order motion took has led to, in many cases, a shift of focus for local and state level law enforcement away from key civil rights issues towards a broader, more definitive enforcement of the nation’s current laws.
No specific date has been set for the nomination and appointment of a direct replacement for Sessions, however, it would be expected to take place after the Trump administration has had time to adjust to the changes in Congress.
Killian Hobbs
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