Matthew Whitaker's profile fits the political bill for Donald Trump
Acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker attends a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Sunday. Credit: AP/Andrew Harnik
Political operatives with law degrees suffuse governments at every level.
Matthew Whitaker, 49, from Iowa, is but one of them.
President Donald Trump's new acting attorney general swings into his new role after dutifully attacking special counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. election.
Whitaker gives none of the "see-where-the-facts-lead" or "can't-comment-it's-under-investigation" stuff you'd expect from, say, an unbiased professional sent to objectively oversee the Mueller matter. His remarks are less fevered, but fully consistent with, Trump's gaseous claims that Mueller's role is somehow improper. That Whitaker’s slant against the probe riles critics ought to please the president.
This interim successor to the long-belittled Jeff Sessions can be expected to provide one-way loyalty of the kind Trump once demanded from FBI Director James Comey before firing him for reasons the president later said involved the Russia storm.
Looks especially matter to Trump.
By all accounts, Trump likes people such as Whitaker who defend him on television. As in a remote audition, he rates their performance and appearance. Whitaker is a former tight end for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes who might also make a fine ESPN commentator. He’s perfect for the desired optics.
His electoral involvements fit nicely, too, for a president who bewails obstacles as evidence of a fix or of bias or a of rigged game.
Whitaker was the campaign chairman for Trump loyalist Sam Clovis in 2014 when Clovis ran for state treasurer in Iowa. Clovis in 2016 was the Trump campaign's co-chair. Clovis has confirmed he testified for a Mueller grand jury. Clovis was even included in a Mueller indictment of ex-aide George Papadopoulos as an unnamed "campaign supervisor."
Despite those facts, Whitaker can be relied on to not recuse himself. Remember, Trump kicked Sessions to the curb after months of humiliating him because the former Alabama senator, also involved in the 2016 campaign, recused himself from the Russia probe and handed it over to an independent official. This was deemed disloyal.
The more “loyal” acting AG brings partisan props. President George W. Bush appointed him U.S. attorney based in Des Moines in 2004. In that job, Whitaker brought an extortion charge against a Democratic state senator — who was quickly acquitted at trial.
Given the president’s example, ethics questions should not cost Whitaker much of Trump’s confidence. After a failed run for U.S. Senate, Whitaker served on the advisory board of an invention-marketing company, now defunct, that the Federal Trade Commission accused of scamming clients.
Whitaker's appearance, associations, surface fealty, conservative chatter and unabashed partisanship all pass Trumpian muster. As a White House instrument on a far-from-subtle mission, he seems just right.
Dan Janison is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
