U.S. Department of Justice
Attorney Work Product // May Contain Material Protected Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)
accomplish by firing Sessions, pointing out there was an investigation before and there would be an investigation after.[1]
Early the following morning, July 22, 2017, the President tweeted, "A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!"[2] Approximately one hour later, the President tweeted, "So many people are asking why isn't the A.G. or Special Council looking at the many Hillary Clinton or Comey crimes. 33,000 e-mails deleted?"[3] Later that morning, while aboard Marine One on the way to Norfolk, Virginia, the President told Priebus that he had to get Sessions to resign immediately.[4] The President said that the country had lost confidence in Sessions and the negative publicity was not tolerable.[5] According to contemporaneous notes taken by Priebus, the President told Priebus to say that he "need[ed] a letter of resignation on [his] desk immediately" and that Sessions had "no choice" but "must immediately resign."[6] Priebus replied that if they fired Sessions, they would never get a new Attorney General confirmed and that the Department of Justice and Congress would turn their backs on the President, but the President suggested he could make a recess appointment to replace Sessions.[7]
Priebus believed that the President's request was a problem, so he called McGahn and asked for advice, explaining that he did not want to pull the trigger on something that was "all wrong."[8] Although the President tied his desire for Sessions to resign to Sessions's negative press and poor performance in congressional testimony, Priebus believed that the President's desire to replace Sessions was driven by the President's hatred of Sessions's recusal from the Russia investigation.[9] McGahn told Priebus not to follow the President's order and said they should consult their personal counsel, with whom they had attorney-client privilege.[10] McGahn
- ↑ Hunt 2/1/18 302, at 23-24; Hunt 7/21/17 Notes, at 1-2.
- ↑ @realDonaldTrump 7/22/17 (6:33 a.m. ET) Tweet.
- ↑ @realDonaldTrump 7/22/17 (7:44 a.m. ET) Tweet. Three minutes later, the President tweeted, "What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia, including Podesta Company, Uranium deal, Russian Reset, big dollar speeches etc." @realDonaldTrump 7/22/17 (7:47 a.m. ET) Tweet.
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 13-14.
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 14; Priebus 4/3/18 302, at 4-5; see RP_000073 (Priebus 7/22/17 Notes).
- ↑ RP_000073 (Priebus 7/22/17 Notes).
- ↑ Priebus 4/3/18 302, at 5.
- ↑ Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 14; Priebus 4/3/18 302, at 4-5.
- ↑ Priebus 4/3/18 302, at 5.
- ↑ RP_000074 (Priebus 7/22/17 Notes); McGahn 12/14/17 302, at 11; Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 14. Priebus followed McGahn's advice and called his personal attorney to discuss the President's request because he thought it was the type of thing about which one would need to consult an attorney. Priebus 1/18/18 302, at 14.
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