U.S. Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, the man who the late civil rights leader Coretta Scott King
warned the country about in 1986, and who was once the face of Trumpism, is now out of a job.
President Trump tweeted on Tuesday afternoon:
….We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well! A permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
November 7, 2018
Trump has criticized Sessions for more than a year over his recusal from the investigation into potential collusion between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is expected to remain in charge of the Russia investigation and special counsel Robert Mueller. Mueller began examining whether Trump’s bullying of Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct justice.
The announcement of Sessions’ exit comes a day after the midterms, and doesn’t take many by surprise.
Sessions also penned a resignation letter:
Sessions:
“Dear Mr. President,
At your request, I am submitting my resignation.” pic.twitter.com/DwRXh5joPF
— erica orden (@eorden) November 7, 2018
“I have served honorably as your Attorney General and have worked to implement the law enforcement agenda based on the rule of law that formed a central part of your campaign,” he wrote.
Sessions leaves behind a legacy of championing the Trump administration’s racist immigration policies and policies that violate civil rights.