During his Friday pool spray before he leave for Paris, France, Donald Trump took shots at Kellyanne Conway‘s husband for saying it was “unconstitutional” of him to appoint Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general.
George Conway co-wrote a New York Times piece [1] on Thursday which not only argued that Whitaker’s appointment was “illegal,” but also that anything he tries to do in his new position is constitutionally “invalid.” When Trump was asked about this, the president directed the question to Conway’s wife while writing him off as a publicity-seeker.
“He’s just trying to get publicity for himself,” Trump said. “Why don’t you do this, why don’t you ask Kellyanne that question, all right? She might know him better than me. I really don’t know the guy.”
Conway co-wrote the op-ed with Neal Katyal, who served as acting solicitor general during the Obama administration. The two argued that Whitaker’s appointment to temporarily replace former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is in violation of the Appointments Clause of the Constitution, which stipulates that principal officers must be confirmed by the Senate.
“President Trump’s installation of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general of the United States after forcing the resignation of Jeff Sessions is unconstitutional,” they wrote. “It’s illegal. And it means that anything Mr. Whitaker does, or tries to do, in that position is invalid.”
Trump announced Wednesday that Whitaker, who was Sessions’s chief of staff at the Justice Department, would take over as acting attorney general. Sessions submitted his letter of resignation on Wednesday at Trump’s request.
WATCH:
Asked about op-ed co-written by George Conway calling Matthew Whitaker's appointment as acting attorney general unconstitutional, Pres. Trump replies, "You mean Mr. Kellyanne Conway?…He's just trying to get publicity for himself." https://t.co/4tSnUD9ofW [2] pic.twitter.com/515Gm1Ojfi [3]
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 9, 2018 [4]