President Forces Sessions to Resign Whitaker, Former AG’S Chief of Staff, to Oversee Mueller Investigation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EXPANDED SPORTS COVERAGE SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE Questions? Call 1-800-Tribune Thursday, November 8, 2018 Breaking news at chicagotribune.com President forces Sessions to resign Whitaker, former AG’s chief of staff, to oversee Mueller investigation By Devlin Barrett, investigation of Russian in- Matthew Whitaker, who though his role will be Matt Zapotosky terference in the 2016 presi- had been serving as Ses- subject to the normal re- and Josh Dawsey dential campaign. sions’ chief of staff. view process for conflicts. The Washington Post In a letter to Trump, “We thank Attorney Gen- Because Sessions was re- Sessions wrote he had been eral Jeff Sessions for his cused, the special counsel WASHINGTON — At- “honored to serve as Attor- service, and wish him well!” probe had been overseen by torney General Jeff Ses- ney General” and had Trump tweeted. “A perma- Deputy Attorney General sions resigned Wednesday “worked to implement the nent replacement will be Rod Rosenstein, who also at President Donald law enforcement agenda nominated at a later date.” has had strained relations Trump’s request, ending the based on the rule of law that A Justice Department of- with Trump, but is consid- tenure of a beleaguered formed a central part of ficial said Whitaker would ered safe in his position for loyalist whose relationship your campaign for the pres- assume authority over the the moment. Rosenstein with the president was ru- idency.” Trump tweeted special counsel probe into went to the White House on WIN MCNAMEE/GETTY ined when Sessions recused that Sessions would be re- Russian interference in the Jeff Sessions, who resigned as attorney general, was the himself from control of the placed on an acting basis by 2016 presidential election — Turn to Sessions, Page 12 first U.S. senator to back Trump’s presidential aspirations. Trump ready to work with other side President, Dems face life under divided Congress By Catherine Lucey and Matthew Daly Associated Press WASHINGTON — Sud- denly facing life under di- vided government, Presi- dent Donald Trump and congressional leaders talked bipartisanship Wednesday but then bluntly previewed the fault lines to come. Trump threatened to go after House Democrats who try to investigate him, while Rep. Nancy Pelosi said her party would be “a check and balance” against the White House. The day after midterm elections reset Washington, Trump took a victory lap at a raucous news conference that stretched to nearly 90 ZBIGNIEW BZDAK/CHICAGO TRIBUNE minutes, celebrating Re- Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov.-elect Juliana Stratton thanked voters at the Roosevelt Street Orange and Green Line station on Wednesday. publican Senate wins but distancing himself from the GOP’s loss of the House. “I thought it was very close to complete victory,” Pritzker’s purse could alter Trump said, adding that he would “almost have to think about” whether he would have preferred Republicans to retain a slim majority in power dynamic with Madigan the House instead of their outright loss. Candidates — four Republicans and power centers who have one of the most powerful who embraced his message Gov.-elect’s pockets deep enough three Democrats — and not worked together be- people, if not the most “excelled,” and those who to give legislators an alternative while the two men shared fore in terms of policy and powerful, in Illinois gov- didn’t faltered, the presi- common campaign goals process, which is a whole ernment — to the point dent added, ticking off a By Rick Pearson tions emerged about how leading up to the Demo- different ballgame,” said that Rauner once be- selective list of defeated Chicago Tribune divisions of power will cratic sweep of state gov- University of Illinois polit- moaned that he, the gover- Republicans to support his work out between him and ernment Tuesday, politics ical scientist Chris nor, was “not in charge.” point. As Democratic Gov.- veteran House Speaker and policy can often di- Mooney. “Everyone wants Madigan’s power over The president said he elect J.B. Pritzker began Michael Madigan. verge. to know how they’ll work rank-and-file Democratic was interested in working working on his takeover of Pritzker will become “It’s going to be some- together.” legislators increased expo- with House Democrats but the Governor’s Mansion the seventh governor thing everybody’s going to Madigan, 76, who has nentially after voters in was ready to respond if he from defeated Republican Madigan will have served watch because now, all of a served in the House since felt he was being ill-treated. Gov. Bruce Rauner, ques- with as speaker since 1983 sudden, you have two 1971, has consistently been Turn to Governor, Page 9 As long as Republicans have controlled both houses of Congress, Democrats have been hampered in pur- Some in mayor’s orbit Turn to Congress, Page 13 gravitate to Mendoza Emanuel allies eye 30,000 more votes than ELECTION 2018 Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker and comptroller as she 22,000 more votes than NEW FACES: Underwood, eyes mayoral run Cook County Board Presi- Casten say suburban ad- dent Toni Preckwinkle, vances here to stay. Page 6 By Bill Ruthhart the chair of the county Chicago Tribune Democratic Party who was COOK COUNTY BOARD: unopposed for a third GOP strongholds lose grip Just a couple of hours term. Those results, they to blue wave. Page 6 after state Comptroller Su- contended, would bode sana Mendoza gave her well for Mendoza in a HISTORIC LOSS: Voters campaign victory speech scenario she continues to oust a judge for first time in Tuesday night, some of her explore: a run for Chicago decades. Page 7 supporters and allies of mayor. Mayor Rahm Emanuel al- Mendoza spent the last IN WASHINGTON: Demo- ready were busy pointing few months of her comp- crats prepare to scrutinize out her strong perform- troller campaign saying Trump policies. Page 10 ance in Chicago. she was focused on her Mendoza, they noted, statewide race while refus- HOUSE SPEAKER: Nancy won 85 percent of the vote ARMANDO L. SANCHEZ/CHICAGO TRIBUNE Pelosi poised to return to in the city, drawing almost Turn to Mendoza, Page 8 Susana Mendoza won 85 percent of the vote to be re-elected as state comptroller. the position. Page 11 Target to close 2 South Side stores The Mitch Trubisky divide Scooters waiting in the wings City officials work to get the company to reconsider, National pundits rip the QB while the team raves. Plus, City moving cautiously before approving electric offering incentives to keep the stores open. Business Khalil Mack aims to play this Sunday. Chicago Sports scooters for commercial use. Chicagoland, Page 4 Chicago Weather Center: Complete $2.50 city and suburbs, $3.00 elsewhere High Low Tom Skilling’s forecast 43 32 forecast on back page of A+E section 171st year No. 312 © Chicago Tribune 2 Chicago Tribune | Section 1 | Thursday, November 8, 2018 John Kass Americans need sunshine after midterm elections After the midterm elections, Americans were still trying to see past the political spin to the serious impli- cations of it all. Did the Democrats win a short- term victory by taking the House and, with it, subpoena power allowing them to investigate and harass the White House on Russia, or even im- peach President Donald Trump? Or did Republicans win a far more significant long-term victory by ex- panding power in the Senate, thanks to Democrats trying to destroy the reputation and life of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh? The Democratic strategy on Ka- vanaugh backfired. Several Senate Democrats in states that Trump won voted against confirming Kavanaugh. They lost their elections the other day. And now a larger Republican Sen- ate majority has made it easier for the GOP to add even more conservative justices to federal district courts and the Supreme Court, and the impact of those judges will be felt long after Trump or whoever follows him is ACCURACY AND ETHICS gone. That’s the discussion America Margaret Holt, standards editor should be having. But instead, the president changed the national sub- EVAN VUCCI/AP The Tribune’s editorial code of principles governs ject and served up his usual platter of President Donald Trump speaks with CNN White House correspondent Jim professional behavior and journalism standards. Every- steaming Trumpian hash. Acosta during a news conference on Wednesday in White House. one in our newsroom must agree to live up to this code of He fought with reporters at a conduct. Read it at chicagotribune.com/accuracy. White House news conference on meet with a Russian contact that time. Corrections and clarifications: Publishing information Wednesday and continued his quest reportedly offered intelligence on We deserve to know about Trump quickly and accurately is a central part of the Chicago to make CNN White House corre- Hillary Clinton. and Russia. And we deserve to know Tribune’s news responsibility. spondent Jim Acosta the preening Sir And if Whitaker makes any moves how that investigation started, and Galahad of his network. But before against Mueller’s investigation, he the political motivations. the news conference, Trump had should be hauled immediately before And we deserve to know, finally, HOW TO CONTACT US 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday quietly forced out Attorney General a Senate committee and asked tough unequivocally, what happened in 7 a.m.–noon Saturday–Sunday Jeff Sessions. questions publicly. those final days of President Barack Delivery problem? 7 a.m.–11 a.m. holidays Or go to chicagotribune.com/ Once that story broke, cable news Trump may like it if Mueller’s Obama’s allegedly oh-so-pristine and Call 312-546-7900 customerservice was able to feast breathlessly on its budget is squeezed, if his work is scandal-free administration.