Graham: Whitaker Is ‘Legally Qualified’ To Be AG and I Don’t Think He’ll Interfere with Mueller
MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you since you sit, and are an important voice, on the Judiciary Committee about what’s happening now with the search for the new Attorney General now that Jeff Sessions has been forced out.
SEN. GRAHAM: Right.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You said you’re going to meet with the acting Attorney General this week—
SEN. GRAHAM: Right.
MARGARET BRENNAN: —are you going to ask him to recuse himself? And is Matthew Whittaker’s appointment to this role constitutional?
SEN. GRAHAM: Good question. I talked with Matt, yesterday. I’m going to meet with him next week when we get our schedules aligned here. I think he’s- was appropriately appointed legally. I don’t think he has to recuse himself. I am confident the Mueller investigation will be allowed to come to a good solid conclusion, that there’ll be no political influence put on Mr. Mueller by Mr. Whitaker to do anything other than Mr. Mueller’s job. I’m confident that Mr. Mueller will be allowed to do his job without interference.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I ask you that question because, as you know, there have been a number of public statements made by Whitaker, including saying there’s no criminal obstruction of justice charge to be had against—
SEN. GRAHAM: Right.
MARGARET BRENNAN: —President Trump—
SEN. GRAHAM: Right.
MARGARET BRENNAN: —that seems prejudicial to many. He’s referred to special counsel as the Mueller lynch mob. What about these comments suggest to you that he’s going to be impartial?
SEN. GRAHAM: Well, you don’t recuse somebody because they have opinions different than the people they are overseeing. Trust me there is politics abounds when it comes to the Mueller investigation that Trump is guilty and no matter what Mueller finds. But the bottom line here is that Mr. Mueller will be allowed to do his job without political interference by-by Mr. Whitaker. Mr. Whitaker I think is legally qualified and otherwise qualified to oversee this investigation until a new attorney general will be appointed. And I think that will happen early next year.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Early next year, what’s your first question for that nominee?
SEN. GRAHAM: Well, depends on what the lay of the land is. If Mueller is still not finished with this investigation, are you gonna allow him to do his job? But a lot of questions about- about how the Department of Justice works.
