Axios is reporting that President Trump is considering replacing Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Rudy Giuliani.
Sessions, after all, is looking increasingly vulnerable.
So why aren’t the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered A.G., looking into Crooked Hillarys crimes & Russia relations?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2017
That’s not exactly an endorsement.
Still, although Sessions is on unsafe ground, both because of allegations as to his contact with the Russian ambassador and his relationship with Trump, Giuliani would be a poor replacement.
First off, Giuliani would struggle to get Senate confirmation. In the Senate, Rudy is unpopular with Republicans and distrusted by Democrats. And Trump can ill-afford to spend political capital on another Cabinet-level appointment. If he’s serious about getting a legislative victory, Trump needs to save all his rapidly-depleting capital (see below) for tax reform.
It’s very sad that Republicans, even some that were carried over the line on my back, do very little to protect their President.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2017
Second, Giuliani has shown somewhat poor judgment in his business dealings. It’s not a sure-thing Giuliani would get through the vetting process.
As the New York Daily News reports, the former mayor has previously worked for terrorist-sympathizing Qatar, Chavez-kleptocratic Venezuela, and an array of unpleasant groups such as the Iranian MEK. Those contracts were probably lucrative, but now they are politically toxic. With Trump’s business dealings attracting increasing concern on Capitol Hill, Giuliani’s experience makes him a poor choice for an office that demands judicial rectitude.
Most importantly, however, Giuliani would lack credibility on the Russia-related inquiries and investigations that concern Trump. As a longtime Trump stalwart, Giuliani’s independence would be questionable the moment he entered the Justice Department.
Ultimately, assuming that he decides to fire Sessions, or that Sessions resigns (which seems more likely), Trump must nominate a new attorney general who has credibility with the nation.
That means someone above reproach. Whether right or wrong, Giuliani cannot be considered as fulfilling that criteria.
A better choice would be someone like former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Mr. Gates is widely respected for his expertise in managing vast government bureaucracies, his value for national service, and his independence from political pressure. He would hold no vendetta against Trump, but nor would he kneel to Trump’s self-perceived throne.
