GOP senators: No Jeff Sessions replacement could get confirmed - Polidicks

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/12/jeff-sessions-replacement-trump-818266 Senate Republicans are in a jam when it comes to Jeff Sessions. While resigned to President Donald Trump firing the attorney general after the midterm elections, they suspect that perhaps only a sitting senator could win confirmation as Sessions’ successor — that is, someone they could trust not to interfere with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. But no one from their ranks seems to want the job. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said any new nominee must pledge to protect the Mueller investigation, and that it would help if that person were “somebody from the body or someone who has had experience … or somebody you know personally, you know what you’re getting.” But he said it’s not going to be him, despite private belief among his colleagues he’s eyeing the job. “No. I like being a senator. There are plenty of more qualified people than me. Bunches of them, thousands,” Graham said Wednesday. Asked about Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, a fellow Senate lawyer who was considered as FBI director, Graham said: “He’d be great if he wanted to do it.” No dice, said Cornyn. “We already have an attorney general,” said Cornyn, who some colleagues think could be confirmed to succeed Sessions. “I love my job.” And Mike Lee (R-Utah), who some Republicans think might be interested in the job, is “very happy” in his current role as senator, a spokesman said. With few obvious potential applicants for a job that seems to come with built-in clashes with the president, some senators even suggest Trump might have to nominate a Democrat to have any hope of getting a new attorney general confirmed. “Trump may very well want a change,” said retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). “If I was the president, I’d even consider picking a Democrat if I thought I couldn’t get anybody else through.” The president, however, is looking for a staunch defender like Eric Holder was to Barack Obama, or a “guy looking out for his own interests,” said a Republican close to the White House. This person said that perhaps a senator could be persuaded to take the job, but was unsure anyone could meet Trump’s criteria of loyalty. The problem is acute enough that Republicans are pessimistic about a confirmation in the lame duck, when there will be little political imperative for red-state Democrats to go along with a new attorney general. And if Republicans lose the Senate majority, an attorney general confirmation becomes even more difficult, if not impossible. The problem for the White House extends beyond filling the top job at the Justice Department. Trump has for months been mulling the prospect of replacing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who is now expected to be dismissed or to resign after the midterm elections, too. Once enamored of the retired Marine general and his nickname, “Mad Dog,” the president bragged to donors, “The guy never loses a battle, never loses.” But Trump has slowly come to realize that Mattis’ political views are more moderate than his sobriquet suggests, and the president has taken to referring to him behind closed doors as “Moderate Dog.” Already the Environmental Protection Agency administrator job is vacant and filled by an acting leader, in part because the Senate GOP is not confident it can confirm a successor. Two more vacancies after the election in critical positions would be an unwelcome development unless Republicans find a way to expand their majority this fall.

wasn't what you were saying 2 weeks ago when it looked like manafort might have won his trial on a hung jury.

It would be funny if Trumped fired Sessions and Rod Rosenstein just becomes defacto AG

It's probably more likely he fires both and the Solicitor General becomes acting AG. Now Rosenstein is dedicated to the rule of law but I don't know if Solicitor General Noel Francisco is. The Solicitor General's job is to argue for the government to the Supreme Court, so that means he successfully argued for Trump's travel ban.

This person said that perhaps a senator could be persuaded to take the job, but was unsure anyone could meet Trump’s criteria of loyalty. Good. You're not supposed to have a justice department that's loyal to anything but the fucking law

This person said that perhaps a senator could be persuaded to take the job, but was unsure anyone could meet Trump’s criteria of loyalty. Oh you mean the loyalty pledge which Trump still denies to this day? That loyalty pledge?

actually trump nominating another senator would be a terrible idea for the GOP because they will in all likelyhood return in 2019 with a very slim majority in the senate and if they do, trump's decision to fire jeff sessions would lead to massive backlash and a special election that would be a referendum on trump not their seat, much like alabama was.