In his opening statement, Whitaker elaborated on the Justice Department’s accomplishments, under his leadership, in areas like human trafficking, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis.
He called the former attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who was fired by President Donald Trump last year, “a man for whom I have great respect.”
Sessions “led the department with integrity, a commitment to the rule of law, and with a commitment to carrying out the policies of the President of the United States,” Whitaker said.
He also commented on the nomination of William Barr to fill Sessions’ previous role, saying “no one is more qualified than Bill Barr.”
Then, Whitaker addressed concerns about his relationship with the White House, as well as allegations that the president had asked him to rein in the prosecutors working for the Southern District of New York.
“At no time has the White House asked for, nor have I provided, any promises or commitments concerning the special counsel’s investigation or any other investigation,” Whitaker told lawmakers.
“Since becoming acting attorney general, I have run the Department of Justice with fidelity to the law and to the Constitution,” he continued. “During my time as the leader of the DOJ, the department has complied with the special counsel regulations and there has been no change in how the department has worked with the special counsel’s office.”
He concluded his opening statement by saying he hoped he and the committee would be able to work out any differences “in good faith” before resorting to subpoenas or other legal means to compel testimony.
from Viral Update News http://bit.ly/2SIuWbG
0 Comments