Dem Chairman Says Trump Violating Law Of Succession With Nielsen Replacement

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen speaks during a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill May 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialows... US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen speaks during a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill May 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to President Donald Trump Monday, saying that his choice of replacement for ousted DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen violates the DHS’ law of succession.

“In announcing Secretary Nielsen’s departure, you tweeted that you plan to install the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection as the Acting Secretary,” Thompson wrote. “However, the law of succession at the Department is clear — the Under Secretary for Management shall serve as the Acting Secretary if the Secretary and Deputy Secretary are unavailable.”

“As such, the Under Secretary for Management, Claire M. Grady…is statutorily required to serve as Acting Secretary,” he continued. “I strongly urge you to follow the law in this matter and to nominate a suitable candidate for Secretary as expeditiously as possible.”

Per Politico, Trump may have no recourse but to fire Grady to clear the path for Kevin McAleenan, his preferred candidate.

Read Thompson’s letter here:

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  1. Another sternly written letter.

  2. Avatar for danf danf says:

    Bend a law here, break a law there. When you’re a celebrity Republicans let you do it.

    We know this all ends with him shooting someone in the face on 5th Avenue, right?

  3. Another example of the administration’s “agile development” philosophy. Move fast-break things.

    Create a “new reality”… A new normal… For the dems to study.

  4. Oh, what a day, when Federal workers start being fired by the President not because of what they do, but because they stand in the way of his preferred choice…

    If he fires Grady to do this, that will have a lot of high-ranking people out there planning exit strategies.

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