FORMER ACTING AG DANA BOENTE PICKED AS NEW FBI GENERAL COUNSEL
Source: WTHI TV
Dana Boente, the acting head of the Justice Department's national security division and the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has been picked to become the new FBI general counsel, according to a source familiar with the move.
Boente was first thrust into the spotlight in January 2017 as the acting attorney general after President Donald Trump fired Sally Yates for her refusal to defend the first travel ban. He later moved to the No. 2 spot at the Justice Department as acting deputy attorney general, tasked with overseeing the Russia probe after Attorney General Sessions recused himself and then delivering the news to a slew of US attorneys left over from the Obama administration that they had been fired.
He will take the place of James Baker, who was reassigned within the FBI late last year.
In October, Boente, a career prosecutor, announced his plans to step down upon Senate confirmation of his successors. In November, CNN reported Boente had privately been in talks for several weeks about a variety of other law enforcement positions within the administration that he might be interested in taking after his successors are confirmed, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions.
Read more: http://www.wthitv.com/content/national/470780613.html?ref=613
I can't believe that the Trump people will think it is good news that Dana Boente, after being forced out of his US Attorney position, is now going to be replacing James Baker, who was forced out of his position as FBI general counsel. The WA Post says that he is viewed as a Trump loyalist because of his willingness to defend the travel bans -- but we'll see.
Some background on Boente:
But even putting that aside, as Rachel also noted on Fridays show, it was Dana Boentes office from which we saw the subpoenas related to Paul Manafort. It was Dana Boentes office from which we saw the subpoenas related to Mike Flynn. It was Dana Boentes office that has been handling the investigation into WikiLeaks and potentially charges associated with WikiLeaks.
And it was through Dana Boentes office where Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whos overseeing the federal investigation into the Trump-Russia scandal, first started using a grand jury.
Dana Boente, in other words, has been at the center of a legal/political hurricane, and from what we know, he did not want to leave his post. Trump ousted him anyway.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-ouster-us-attorney-dana-boente-matters
With more info (but behind a pay wall) is this piece in the WA Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-director-under-pressure-to-make-changes-is-replacing-comey-aides/2018/01/23/e606d382-006e-11e8-8acf-ad2991367d9d_story.html?utm_term.3d7c7efca404
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, who has been under political pressure to remove top officials at the bureau, is filling two senior positions previously held by people who served under former director James B. Comey.
Dana Boente, the U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia who is acting head of the Justice Departments national security division, has been selected to be the FBIs next general counsel, according to three people familiar with the matter. He replaces James Baker, who was reassigned late last year.
= new reply since forum marked as read
But here's a big REC for your post!
Good News.
Well, not for Kremlin Don. Ha!
