Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores drafted an exit statement for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, according to a Monday Axios report.
It reportedly does not include the word “resign,” but the statement attributed to Attorney General Jeff Sessions reads: “Rod Rosenstein has served the Department of Justice with dedication and skill for 28 years. His contributions are many and significant. We all appreciate his service and wish him well.”
It also reportedly says that Sessions’ chief of staff Matt Whitaker would take over as deputy and that Solicitor General Noel Francisco would serve as the Acting Attorney General overseeing Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
Per Axios, the letter was drafted on Monday while conflicting reports flooded in when Rosenstein was summoned to the White House amid rumors that he was going to be fired. However, he still retains his job for now and is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday.
Ever since a New York Times report surfaced in which Rosenstein reportedly suggested wearing a wire to tape Trump and invoke the 25th Amendment, speculation has been rampant about if Trump would use the report as an excuse to fire Rosenstein and put someone more amenable to his agenda — and willing to fire Mueller — in his place. Rosenstein called the report “inaccurate” and “factually incorrect.”
Read the full drafted statement at Axios.
Time to mobilize, folks…
The idea that Noel Francisco would recuse himself because his former law firm represents Trump? Yeah right–this is a Trump guy we’re dealing with.
All I know is that I have this (very recent) Ben Folds song about Rod Rosenstein permanently stuck in my head. Excellent song.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mr+peepers+ben+folds
Read properly (i.e., like a Republican) this is simply recognition of his past service and hopes for his continued good health.
“Nice Rosenstein you’ve got there. Be a shame it anything happened to it.”
This letter was written by others at the direction of the WH. Perhaps it was Francisco’s chief of staff who would get a nice promotion out of this. It’s an elaborate stunt to intimidate Rosenstein.
If Francisco was part of the Trump campaign wouldn’t he have to recuse himself just like Sessions was obligated to do?