basquebromance
Diamond Member
- Nov 26, 2015
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Jeffrey Clark, a mid-level Justice Department official, wanted Trump to name him attorney general in a plan aimed at potentially overturning the election
excerpts:
Clark, an environmental lawyer by trade, had outlined a plan in a letter he wanted to send to the leaders of key states Joe Biden won. It said that the Justice Department had âidentified significant concernsâ about the vote and that the states should consider sending âa separate slate of electors supporting Donald J. Trumpâ for Congress to approve.
In fact, Clarkâs bosses had warned there was not evidence to overturn the election and had rejected his letter days earlier. Now they learned Clark was about to meet with Trump. Acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen tracked down his deputy, Richard Donoghue, who had been walking on the Mall in muddy jeans and an Army T-shirt. There was no time to change. They raced to the Oval Office.
As Rosen and Donoghue listened, Clark told Trump that he would send the letter if the president named him attorney general.
âHistory is calling,â Clark told the president, according to a deposition from Donoghue excerpted in a recent court filing. âThis is our opportunity. We can get this done.â
Donoghue urged Trump not to put Clark in charge, calling him ânot competentâ and warning of âmass resignationsâ by Justice Department officials if he became the nationâs top law enforcement official, according to Donoghueâs account.
âWhat happens if, within 48 hours, we have hundreds of resignations from your Justice Department because of your actions?â Donoghue said he asked Trump. âWhat does that say about your leadership?â
Clarkâs letter and his Oval Office meeting set off one of the tensest chapters during Trumpâs effort to overturn the election, which culminated three days later with rioters storming the U.S. Capitol. His plan could have decapitated the Justice Department leadership and could have overturned the election.
Trump repeatedly went after Rosen and Donoghue, saying they hadnât pursued voter fraud allegations.
âYou two,â Trump said, pointing to the two top Justice Department officials. âYou two havenât done anything. You two donât care. You havenât taken appropriate actions. Everyone tells me I should fire you.â
Trump continually circled back to the idea of replacing Rosen with Clark.
âWhat do I have to lose?â the president asked, according to Donoghue.
âMr. President, you have a great deal to lose,â Donoghue said he responded. âIs this really how you want your administration to end? Youâre going to hurt the country, youâre going to hurt the department, youâre going to hurt yourself, with people grasping at straws on these desperate theories about election fraud, and is this really in anyoneâs best interest?â
Donoghue warned Trump that putting Clark in charge would be likely to lead to mass resignations at the Justice Department.
âWell, suppose I do this,â Trump said to Donoghue. âSuppose I replace [Rosen] with [Clark], what would you do?â
âSir, I would resign immediately,â Donoghue said he responded. âThereâs no way Iâm serving under this guy [Clark].â
Trump then turned to Steve Engel, the Justice Departmentâs assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel, whom Trump reportedly had considered for a seat on the Supreme Court.
âSteve, you wouldnât resign, would you?â Trump asked.
âAbsolutely I would, Mr. President. Youâd leave me no choice,â Engel responded, according to Donoghueâs account. Engel declined to comment.
âAnd weâre not the only ones,â Donoghue said he told Trump. âYou should understand that your entire department leadership will resign. Every [assistant attorney general] will resign. ... Mr. President, these arenât bureaucratic leftovers from another administration. You picked them. This is your leadership team. You sent every one of them to the Senate; you got them confirmed. What is that going to say about you, when we all walk out at the same time?â
Donoghue then told Trump that Clark had no qualification to be attorney general: âHeâs never been a criminal attorney. Heâs never conducted a criminal investigation in his life. Heâs never been in front of a grand jury, much less a trial jury.â
Clark objected.
âWell, Iâve done a lot of very complicated appeals and civil litigation, environmental litigation, and things like that,â Clark said, according to Donoghueâs deposition.
âThatâs right,â Donoghue said he responded. âYouâre an environmental lawyer. How about you go back to your office, and weâll call you when thereâs an oil spill.â
MSN
www.msn.com
excerpts:
Clark, an environmental lawyer by trade, had outlined a plan in a letter he wanted to send to the leaders of key states Joe Biden won. It said that the Justice Department had âidentified significant concernsâ about the vote and that the states should consider sending âa separate slate of electors supporting Donald J. Trumpâ for Congress to approve.
In fact, Clarkâs bosses had warned there was not evidence to overturn the election and had rejected his letter days earlier. Now they learned Clark was about to meet with Trump. Acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen tracked down his deputy, Richard Donoghue, who had been walking on the Mall in muddy jeans and an Army T-shirt. There was no time to change. They raced to the Oval Office.
As Rosen and Donoghue listened, Clark told Trump that he would send the letter if the president named him attorney general.
âHistory is calling,â Clark told the president, according to a deposition from Donoghue excerpted in a recent court filing. âThis is our opportunity. We can get this done.â
Donoghue urged Trump not to put Clark in charge, calling him ânot competentâ and warning of âmass resignationsâ by Justice Department officials if he became the nationâs top law enforcement official, according to Donoghueâs account.
âWhat happens if, within 48 hours, we have hundreds of resignations from your Justice Department because of your actions?â Donoghue said he asked Trump. âWhat does that say about your leadership?â
Clarkâs letter and his Oval Office meeting set off one of the tensest chapters during Trumpâs effort to overturn the election, which culminated three days later with rioters storming the U.S. Capitol. His plan could have decapitated the Justice Department leadership and could have overturned the election.
Trump repeatedly went after Rosen and Donoghue, saying they hadnât pursued voter fraud allegations.
âYou two,â Trump said, pointing to the two top Justice Department officials. âYou two havenât done anything. You two donât care. You havenât taken appropriate actions. Everyone tells me I should fire you.â
Trump continually circled back to the idea of replacing Rosen with Clark.
âWhat do I have to lose?â the president asked, according to Donoghue.
âMr. President, you have a great deal to lose,â Donoghue said he responded. âIs this really how you want your administration to end? Youâre going to hurt the country, youâre going to hurt the department, youâre going to hurt yourself, with people grasping at straws on these desperate theories about election fraud, and is this really in anyoneâs best interest?â
Donoghue warned Trump that putting Clark in charge would be likely to lead to mass resignations at the Justice Department.
âWell, suppose I do this,â Trump said to Donoghue. âSuppose I replace [Rosen] with [Clark], what would you do?â
âSir, I would resign immediately,â Donoghue said he responded. âThereâs no way Iâm serving under this guy [Clark].â
Trump then turned to Steve Engel, the Justice Departmentâs assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel, whom Trump reportedly had considered for a seat on the Supreme Court.
âSteve, you wouldnât resign, would you?â Trump asked.
âAbsolutely I would, Mr. President. Youâd leave me no choice,â Engel responded, according to Donoghueâs account. Engel declined to comment.
âAnd weâre not the only ones,â Donoghue said he told Trump. âYou should understand that your entire department leadership will resign. Every [assistant attorney general] will resign. ... Mr. President, these arenât bureaucratic leftovers from another administration. You picked them. This is your leadership team. You sent every one of them to the Senate; you got them confirmed. What is that going to say about you, when we all walk out at the same time?â
Donoghue then told Trump that Clark had no qualification to be attorney general: âHeâs never been a criminal attorney. Heâs never conducted a criminal investigation in his life. Heâs never been in front of a grand jury, much less a trial jury.â
Clark objected.
âWell, Iâve done a lot of very complicated appeals and civil litigation, environmental litigation, and things like that,â Clark said, according to Donoghueâs deposition.
âThatâs right,â Donoghue said he responded. âYouâre an environmental lawyer. How about you go back to your office, and weâll call you when thereâs an oil spill.â
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