Schumer demands probe

Schumer demands probe on Whitaker's ties to Trump

By MARIANNE LEVINE

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter Tuesday requesting that the Justice Department inspector general investigate communications between Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and the White House.

In his letter, Schumer cited news reports of Whitaker’s close relationship with President Donald Trump during his previous role as chief of staff to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

“I am particularly concerned about whether Mr. Whitaker may have shared with the White House, or could share in his new role, confidential grand jury or investigative information from the Special Counsel investigation or any criminal investigation,” Schumer wrote in a letter to Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

Schumer added that disclosure of such information could “implicate criminal contempt of court, obstruction of justice” or violate the Justice Department’s policy on contact with the White House on criminal investigations.

Schumer requested that the inspector general provide information on whether Whitaker had access to confidential information related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation when he was chief of staff and whether Whitaker provided any assurance to the White House that he would interfere with the Mueller investigation.

Whitaker’s appointment as acting attorney general has drawn scrutiny from Democratic and Republican senators, some of whom say he should recuse himself from overseeing the Mueller investigation.