WASHINGTON — President Trump fired his acting attorney general on Monday after she defiantly refused to defend his immigration executive order, accusing the Democratic holdover of trying to obstruct his agenda for political reasons. Taking action in an escalating crisis for his 10-day-old administration, Mr. Trump declared that Sally Q. Yates had “betrayed” the administration, the White House said in a statement. The president appointed Dana J. Boente, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve as acting attorney general until Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama is confirmed.
Ms. Yates’s decision confronted the president with a stinging challenge to his authority and laid bare a deep divide at the Justice Department, within the diplomatic corps and elsewhere in the government over the wisdom of his order. “At present, I am not convinced that the defense of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities, nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful,” Ms. Yates wrote in a letter to Justice Department lawyers.
Anyone else getting the "Saturday Night Massacre" vibe? I know it's not a carbon copy, Yates was Obama's AG who was being replaced... but man this is giving me the same vibe.
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SpaceBooger wrote:Anyone else getting the "Saturday Night Massacre" vibe? I know it's not a carbon copy, Yates was Obama's AG who was being replaced... but man this is giving me the same vibe.
Saturday Night very likely will be all over this, looking forward to next Saturday. You're Fired!
The Acting Attorney General was trying to do what was morally right in her eyes, but she should be following the law.
Last edited by CRTGAMER on Tue Jan 31, 2017 1:08 am, edited 4 times in total.
SpaceBooger wrote:Not Saturday Night Live, the Saturday Night Massacre is a famous political term related to President Nixon and Watergate.
Oop, looked it up. Bit of history there.
This is a Monday Night Football with all the interference runs. Attorney General Sally Yates should have just kept quiet and do her last week on the job until Jeff Sessions stepped in. Shows what happens when one in office too long. The arrogance acting as a protester by ordering her staff not to defend the law. This leans of treason since it concerns the President. As the United States Attorney General, she believed her own values are more important then upholding the law, now will never hold that position ever again.
During the Press Conference earlier in the day (previous page video link), Sean Spicer commented on this, pretty fast response!
“I think that they should either get with the program or they can go,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said when asked about State Department employees drafting an internal cable registering their disapproval of the order.
Act 212(b)
f) Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or non-immigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.
Statement on the Appointment of Dana Boente as Acting Attorney General
The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel.
Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration. It is time to get serious about protecting our country. Calling for tougher vetting for individuals traveling from seven dangerous places is not extreme. It is reasonable and necessary to protect our country.
Tonight, President Trump relieved Ms. Yates of her duties and subsequently named Dana Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve as Acting Attorney General until Senator Jeff Sessions is finally confirmed by the Senate, where he is being wrongly held up by Democrat senators for strictly political reasons. “I am honored to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected,” said Dana Boente, Acting Attorney General.
Here is the Ex Attorney General letter in question:
Letter From Sally Yates
Sally Yates, the acting attorney general and a holdover from the Obama administration, sent this letter on Monday to top lawyers at the Justice Department, directing them not to defend the White House's executive order on immigration during her remaining time at the department.
"On January 27, 2017, the President signed an Executive Order regarding immigrants and refugees from certain Muslim -majority countries. The order has now been challenged in a number of jurisdictions. As the Acting Attorney General, it is my ultimate responsibility to determine the position of the Department of Justice in these actions.
My role is different from that of the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), which, through administrations of both parties, has reviewed Executive Orders for form and legality before they are issued. OLC’s review is limited to the narrow question of whether, in OLC’ s view, a proposed Executive Order is lawful on its face and properly drafted. Its review does not take account of statements made by an administration or it surrogates close in time to the issuance of an Executive Order that may bear on the order’s purpose. And importantly, it does not address whether any policy choice embodied in an Executive Order is wise or just.
Similarly, in litigation, DOJ Civil Division lawyers are charged with advancing reasonable legal arguments that can be made supporting an Executive Order. But my role as leader of this institution is different and broader. My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is after consideration of all the facts. In addition, I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution’s solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right. At present, I am not convinced that the defense of the Executive Order is consistent with these responsibilities nor am I convinced that the Executive Order is lawful.
Consequently, for as long as I am the Acting Attorney General, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the Executive Order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so."
Last edited by CRTGAMER on Tue Jan 31, 2017 8:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
CRTGAMER wrote:The Acting Attorney General was trying to do what was morally right in her eyes, but she should be following the law.
I'm pretty sure she was trying to follow the law. But President Trump doesn't seem like he's willing to let a little thing like the law get in his way.
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How can you have confused the Saturday night massacre with Saturday night live? Every respectable new source made the comparison.
By the way the entire situation with trump will probably teach the U.S. All about the American legal system and separation of powers. Just like after our crisis, every Greek is a specialist when it comes to the international bond market
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ZeroAX wrote:How can you have confused the Saturday night massacre with Saturday night live? Every respectable new source made the comparison.
By the way the entire situation with trump will probably teach the U.S. All about the American legal system and separation of powers. Just like after our crisis, every Greek is a specialist when it comes to the international bond market
I did hear the Masacre term mentioned on the news as you did, did not connect until it was talked about more. Guess Fox concentrated more on the story instead of the Nixon years. The President certainly quick on policy including the firing, the press can't keep up. Sad that all the Corrupt Mainstream News Media still claim the AG was within the law by not backing the Whitehouse.
Last edited by CRTGAMER on Tue Jan 31, 2017 8:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
You realise that ZeroAX is in the Netherlands, and thus was asleep when the original post was made right?
Based on the time he posted this morning, he replied pretty much first thing. He did not 'spend a day looking it up'. You spent a day to see his reply.
Of course, I should know better than to expect you to either research the facts or consider something from a viewpoint other than your own narrow-minded 'america first' purview.
