'Constitutional Crisis': Massachusetts Politicians React To AG Jeff Sessions' Resignation
BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts elected officials are talking about a possible "constitutional crisis" in response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation on Wednesday.
Sessions wrote in a letter to President Donald Trump that he was resigning "at your request." The resignation comes one day after the midterm elections, in which Republicans gained seats in the Senate but lost control of the House.
"Creating a constitutional crisis to change an Election Day narrative is a new low, even for Trump," Rep. Seth Moulton tweeted.
Creating a constitutional crisis to change an Election Day narrative is a new low, even for Trump. https://t.co/PHeQZimJE2
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) November 7, 2018
Sen. Ed Markey said that if the president also decides to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, "it will trigger a constitutional crisis."
"Now more than ever we must protect Special Counsel Mueller," Markey tweeted.
Sessions faithfully carried out Trump's extremist agenda. Yet Trump fired him before all the midterm ballots have been counted. If Trump tries to fire Deputy AG Rosenstein next, it will trigger a constitutional crisis. Now more than ever we must protect Special Counsel Mueller.
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 7, 2018
And Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted that Trump's firing of Sessions "brings us one step closer to a constitutional crisis," while also calling for Congressional action.
.@realDonaldTrump's firing of Jeff Sessions brings us one step closer to a constitutional crisis. Congress must act to ensure that Special Counsel Mueller can do his job without interference.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 7, 2018
The president said Session's chief of staff Matthew Whitaker will take over as acting attorney general. Whitaker wrote a CNN opinion piece last year criticizing Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.