Page 58 - Sam Clovis News Today

According to our reporting about whitaker. for a couple of reasons. one, to the point mimi was speaking of, he seems to have a conflict of interest with the russia probe given his past statements, given his connection, for example, to sam clovis who is a political friend and ally from iowa but happens to be a witness in the mueller probe. the other piece of this, though, people in the justice department dont feel hes qualified for this job, that he simply doesnt have sort of the qualifications a...

Inside the justice department according to our reporting about whitaker. for a couple of reasons. one, to the point mimi was speaking of, he seems to have a conflict of interest with the russia probe given his past statements, given his connection, for example, to sam clovis who is a political friend and ally from iowa but happens to be a witness in the mueller probe. the other piece of this, though, people in the justice department dont feel hes qualified for this job, that he simply doesnt hav...

Isnt that enough right there? >> i dont think theres any question, but this goes back to the question of how that happens. theres no question that mr. whitaker should -- look, we know that sam clovis who was a witness in the mueller investigation in the papadopoulos indictment has actually -- that he not only -- he said not only is he a close friend, but that theres -- that he told mr. whitaker to become a pundit in order to be seen and noticed by president trump for a position in the administra...

Given his previous statements. >> it was interesting how alberto gonzalez was able to reach that decision. and also, sam clovis recommended him. whitaker came here and he was a terrific guest but he was a guest that came on our shows to argue against the mueller investigation. thats what he did and who he was, and i presume how he ended up in the justice department. >> its a big part, but i dont think its the only part, but its a big part of it. whitaker is a partisan player, as are many people ...

The budget so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt. >> do you have concerns with somebody who has expressed his displeasure with the entire idea of the special investigation and now overseeing it? >> i do have concerns. i will say when mr. whitaker made those comments he did not have access to the information he will now have access to. now having access to that information he may have a different view. i have been on record saying the mueller investigation should be allowed to be ...

According to friends whitaker talked to at the time, he got a tip from sam clovis. clovis encouraged whitaker to get a commentary gig on tv to get trumps attention. later he expressed his deep skepticism for the mueller probe. last year he said this about robert muellers appointment to special counsel. >> whatever reason rod rosenstein determined that the department of justice couldnt handle this in their ordinary course of work, which i think is ridiculous, i think it smells a little fishy. >> ...

Witness, sam clovis. what youre now bringing up is, is he even properly appointed? so president trump voted a law which allows him to install a such push itta sufficiently person, what legal scholars across the spectrum, incrui including kellyanne conways husband, saying that role is a principled officer in the united states. so we are likely to see that is one of several legal challenges to whitakers existence.

Because everything that he has said from his auditions for this position on conservative television which a how the president seems to choose his top officials calling this a witch hunt. you know, his ties to sam clovis who is a key witness in the mueller probe. the fact he wrote an op-ed that told the president that he should do everything he could to shut down the, quote, mueller lynch mob. these are all statements that make it clear he cannot possibly oversee this investigation impartially. o...

This appointment? >> its a conflict of interest, and he should be required to recuse from overseeing the russia investigation. in fact, i suspect that the ethics professionals that attorneys in the justice department go to for advice on ethical matters will advise him he must recuse. he has if not an actual conflict, certainly the appearance of a conflict, which is the standard that people in doj use. and, john, its really important to note that the doj conflict standards require lawyers to recu...

Russians. its that simple. >> part of an emerging body of evidence revealing whitakers true feelings about the mueller probe itself. not only that, whitaker has worked for and maintains a friendship with a key witness in the russian investigation. former trump adviser sam clovis who has testified before the mueller grand jury. and now, democrats as well as several legal experts say questions about whitakers impartiality should bar him from overseeing the investigation of the president. however, ...