Alberto Gonzales: ‘Nothing Legally Wrong’ with Whitaker Appointment But the ‘Optics’ Are Not Good for the DoJ

‘I believe the men and women of that agency deserve somebody at the top who has been vetted by the Senate, and somebody who is Senate confirmed’

EXCERPT:

GONZALES: "When I first heard the news, I was surprised. The fact that Mr. Whitaker is not a Senate confirmed position for the attorney general of the United States, to me it seemed rather strange. I have talked to various legal experts around the country and they share the same concern. But even if technically there’s nothing legally wrong with this, from my perspective the optics are not very good for the Department of Justice. This is a very important department cabinet agency and I believe the men and women of that agency deserve somebody at the top who has been vetted by the Senate, and somebody who is Senate confirmed. Again, putting aside the question as to whether or not legally Mr. Whitaker can occupy this position, I think the optics are not very good for a department which from my perspective has been under siege for almost two years with all the constant criticism of Jeff Sessions, with the constant criticism and questioning of the Mueller investigation.”

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