News
Internet Explodes on News Acting Attorney General Was Under Federal Scrutiny, May Have Acted as Trump’s DOJ Spy
The Internet is exploding with the breaking news that the man President Donald Trump installed as Acting Attorney General was a paid advisor to a company that has been under criminal investigation by federal authorities.
That man, Matthew Whitaker, who replaced fired AG Jeff Sessions, had himself also been under federal scrutiny. It is unclear if he currently is. Also, Whitaker reportedly was in regular contact with Trump while serving as Sessions’ chief of staff before being promoted. Some are saying that he may have been acting as Trump’s “spy” inside the Dept. of Justice.
First with the news was The Wall Street Journal.
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting a criminal investigation of a Florida company accused of scamming millions from customers during the period that Matthew Whitaker, the acting U.S. attorney general, served as a paid advisory-board member.”
Next, The Washington Post added more information.
“Federal investigators last year looked into whether Matthew G. Whitaker, as an advisory board member of a Miami patent company accused of fraud by customers, played a role in trying to help the company silence critics by threatening legal action.”
It gets worse.
Whitaker’s connection to the company “came as a surprise to both senior Justice Department and White House officials, several officials said.”
It was on his Wikipedia page https://t.co/FxGPC3Qpxh
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 10, 2018
That was a senior reporter for The Guardian.
And, it gets worse again:
Donald Trump’s new acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, was involved in a company that scammed US military veterans out of their life savings. https://t.co/ZsR206sEar
— VoteVets (@votevets) November 9, 2018
And, even worse, again:
Exclusive: Trump loyalist Matthew Whitaker was counseling the White House on investigating Hillary Clinton — behind the back of Sessions and Rosenstein. https://t.co/Xw6OtE1qtA via @voxdotcom
— Benjamin Pauker (@benpauker) November 9, 2018
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes appears to be apoplectic:
THEY LITERALLY COULDN’T FIND ONE PERSON TO RUN DOJ WHO WASN’T BEING INVESTIGATED FOR CRIMES https://t.co/QV1zBzhg6Y
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) November 10, 2018
That apparently was just the start:
The chief law enforcement officer of the US was a paid advisor of a company that scammed people out of tens of millions of dollars and is currently being criminally investigated by the FBI.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) November 10, 2018
The man’s only qualification for the job, which he as been given without Senate approval of any kind, is cable news commentary in which he relentlessly criticized the active criminal investigation into the president’s own possible criminal activity.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) November 10, 2018
This Washington Post reporter sums up one interesting detail:
Matthew Whitaker received a subpoena in FTC investigation of Florida company in October 2017. He told the FTC he was too busy to respond because he was moving to Washington to become AG Sessions chief of staff. https://t.co/AsrpBo8tPn
— Rosalind Helderman (@PostRoz) November 9, 2018
This journalist has a simple question: “was he even vetted?”
date of this letter June, 2017. three months before Whitaker became Sessions CoS. was he even vetted? https://t.co/GByHEh4fy7
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) November 9, 2018
This national security and civil liberties journalist makes this stunning observation:
Since being appointed, Matt Whitaker has been called a “crackpot,” a “fucking fool,” and a constitutional nobody.
And he hasn’t even done anything yet.
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) November 9, 2018
Wait. What was that about being called a “fucking fool”?
“He’s a fucking fool”
DoJ officials trash Whitaker and fear the impact he will have on matters beyond just Mueller.
By @ErinBancohttps://t.co/9rrEF9xpVQ
— Sam Stein (@samstein) November 9, 2018
Meanwhile, citing a Vox article, this ShareBlue editor notes another reason why Trump likes Whitaker so much:
NEW: Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s new pick for acting attorney general, privately advised Trump last year on how the White House may be able to pressure the DOJ to investigate the president’s political adversaries, including Hillary Clinton.https://t.co/nwa8OPrImI
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) November 10, 2018
CNN’s Keith Boykin calls it: Trump’s personal spy:
If this is true, Matthew Whitaker was essentially Trump’s personal spy in the Justice Department when he served as chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. https://t.co/tlH8kWKT9R
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) November 10, 2018
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.