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Justice Dept. Turmoil Raises Pressure on Senators to Confirm Jeff Sessions Amid Turmoil in His Government, Trump Calls Democrats ‘a Mess’
(about 2 hours later)
■ The turmoil at the Justice Department over President Trump’s executive order on immigration raises the pressure on senators to confirm, or block, Senator Jeff Sessions’s appointment as attorney general. ■ Amid chaos in his government, President Trump on Tuesday called Democrats “a mess” for a microphone mishap.
■ The turmoil at the Justice Department over Mr. Trump’s executive order on immigration raises the pressure on senators to confirm, or block, Senator Jeff Sessions’s appointment as attorney general.
■ Mr. Trump will meet on Tuesday morning with the pharmaceutical industry, which he said was “getting away with murder.”■ Mr. Trump will meet on Tuesday morning with the pharmaceutical industry, which he said was “getting away with murder.”
■ The president has picked a veteran of the Homeland Security Department to be its No. 2. The acting attorney general has been fired, protests are rocking the nation’s largest airports, and a constitutional clash is brewing between the executive and judicial branches, but Mr. Trump thinks the Democrats are a real mess because their audio equipment malfunctions, as do their tear ducts.
The late-night firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Q. Yates over her refusal to defend Mr. Trump’s executive order banning refugees, immigrants and visitors from seven Muslim countries has put a lot of people in a sticky position. The rally he was referring to was surprisingly large for what amounted to a political event on the steps of the Supreme Court. But what is really sticking in the president’s craw is the glacial pace of confirmations in the Senate — which is intentional. His choice for transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, is likely to be confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, and his nominee for secretary of state, Rex W. Tillerson, will probably get a vote on Wednesday. Committee votes are expected today for his nominees for attorney general, Jeff Sessions; health secretary, Tom Price; education secretary, Betsy DeVos; and small business administrator, Linda McMahon.
Mr. Trump, for one. By firing Ms. Yates, he may have gotten rid of the only Senate-confirmed official at the Justice Department who was senior enough to sign off on his requests for secret surveillance warrants. Without her, his government may have lost a crucial tool in the fight against terrorism, although a White House official denied it Monday night. But Democrats are deliberately slowing the process as they demand more answers to questions about ethics and the nominees’ views on Mr. Trump’s temporary immigration ban from citizens of seven predominately Muslim nations.
Which brings up the other people in a sticky position: the senators from both parties who have expressed misgivings over or outright opposition to the president’s executive order. Democrats now have every reason to drag out the confirmation fight over Mr. Sessions as long as possible, leaving Mr. Trump’s order undefended against a growing list of opponents. The late-night firing of the acting attorney general, Sally Q. Yates, over her refusal to defend Mr. Trump’s executive order banning refugees, immigrants and visitors from seven predominately Muslim countries has put a lot of people in a sticky position: senators.
Democrats now have every reason to drag out the confirmation fight over Mr. Sessions as long as possible, leaving Mr. Trump’s order defended by a Justice Department riven by dissent against a growing list of opponents.
Mr. Trump seems to understand this.Mr. Trump seems to understand this.
But what about Republican senators like John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Cory Gardner of Colorado?But what about Republican senators like John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Cory Gardner of Colorado?
They have leverage to demand changes before they seat Mr. Sessions at the Justice Department. But as the fight drags on, so does the lag in warrants. The pressure will only intensify.They have leverage to demand changes before they seat Mr. Sessions at the Justice Department. But as the fight drags on, so does the lag in warrants. The pressure will only intensify.
At her confirmation hearings to be deputy attorney general, Ms. Yates faced a grilling from Republicans who were furious about former President Barack Obama’s order liberalizing immigration policy.
The question: Would Ms. Yates be willing to stand up to the president?
Her inquisitor? Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, and now Mr. Trump’s nominee for attorney general.
“If the views the president wants to execute are unlawful, should the attorney general or the deputy attorney general say ‘No?’” Mr. Sessions asked.
“I believe the attorney general or deputy attorney general has an obligation to follow the law and Constitution and give their independent legal advice to the president,” Ms. Yates replied.
Shortly before his inauguration, Mr. Trump declared that the pharmaceutical industry was “getting away with murder.”Shortly before his inauguration, Mr. Trump declared that the pharmaceutical industry was “getting away with murder.”
“Pharma has a lot of lobbies, a lot of lobbyists and a lot of power, and there’s very little bidding on drugs,” he said during an event at Trump Tower in New York. “We’re the largest buyer of drugs in the world, and yet we don’t bid properly.”“Pharma has a lot of lobbies, a lot of lobbyists and a lot of power, and there’s very little bidding on drugs,” he said during an event at Trump Tower in New York. “We’re the largest buyer of drugs in the world, and yet we don’t bid properly.”
The statement aligned him with Democrats, who have long argued that the government should be allowed to bargain for lower drug prices for Medicare and Medicaid, a position fought tooth and nail by Republicans.The statement aligned him with Democrats, who have long argued that the government should be allowed to bargain for lower drug prices for Medicare and Medicaid, a position fought tooth and nail by Republicans.
On Tuesday at 9 a.m., the president will “meet with pharma,” the White House schedule reads. It doesn’t say “representatives of the pharmaceutical industry” or “drug company executives” — just “pharma,” with no names or details offered.On Tuesday at 9 a.m., the president will “meet with pharma,” the White House schedule reads. It doesn’t say “representatives of the pharmaceutical industry” or “drug company executives” — just “pharma,” with no names or details offered.
Should be interesting.Should be interesting.
The E.U. negotiator on Britain’s exit from the European Union returned from the United States and declared that a united Europe now faces three threats: Islamist terrorism, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Mr. Trump.
“I have just come back from U.S., and my view is that we have a third front that is undermining the E.U., and that is Donald Trump,” the negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, said in a speech at Chatham House, think tank in London, according to a German newspaper.
“Trump spoke very favorably of the fact that also other countries will want to break away from the European Union, and that he hoped for a disintegration of the European Union,” he added.
Mr. Trump nominated Elaine C. Duke, a Virginia businesswoman, on Monday night to be the deputy secretary of homeland security, the No. 2 position at the Homeland Security Department.Mr. Trump nominated Elaine C. Duke, a Virginia businesswoman, on Monday night to be the deputy secretary of homeland security, the No. 2 position at the Homeland Security Department.
Ms. Duke, the owner of Elaine Duke and Associates in Falls Church, served from 2008 to 2010 as under secretary for management at the department, a position that required Senate confirmation. She was responsible for managing the department’s $47 billion budget and overseeing its $17 billion contracting programs. In 2015, she was appointed to the homeland security secretary’s Homeland Security Advisory Council, a committee that provides policy recommendations.Ms. Duke, the owner of Elaine Duke and Associates in Falls Church, served from 2008 to 2010 as under secretary for management at the department, a position that required Senate confirmation. She was responsible for managing the department’s $47 billion budget and overseeing its $17 billion contracting programs. In 2015, she was appointed to the homeland security secretary’s Homeland Security Advisory Council, a committee that provides policy recommendations.
According to her company’s website, Ms. Duke holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and an M.B.A.According to her company’s website, Ms. Duke holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and an M.B.A.
Also on Monday, the president replaced Daniel H. Ragsdale, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency within the Homeland Security Department that identifies, arrests, detains and deports immigrants who are in the country illegally. He appointed Thomas D. Homan as the new acting director. Mr. Homan, a former Border Patrol police officer, was the agency’s executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations.Also on Monday, the president replaced Daniel H. Ragsdale, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency within the Homeland Security Department that identifies, arrests, detains and deports immigrants who are in the country illegally. He appointed Thomas D. Homan as the new acting director. Mr. Homan, a former Border Patrol police officer, was the agency’s executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations.
Mr. Ragsdale, who was appointed deputy director in May 2012, was named acting director this month. He will return to the deputy director position.Mr. Ragsdale, who was appointed deputy director in May 2012, was named acting director this month. He will return to the deputy director position.