By Mark Moore
November 18, 2018 | 2:18pm | Updated
The “Schitt” hit the fan.
President Trump blasted Rep. Adam Schiff for questioning why acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker wasn’t confirmed by the Senate — misspelling the Democrat’s last name as “Schitt.”
“So funny to see little Adam Schitt (D-CA) talking about the fact that Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker was not approved by the Senate, but not mentioning the fact that Bob Mueller (who is highly conflicted) was not approved by the Senate!” Trump wrote on his Twitter account on Sunday.
Schiff, who’s likely to become the House Intelligence Committee chairman, took to Twitter to fire back at Trump.
“Wow, Mr. President, that’s a good one. Was that like your answers to Mr. Mueller’s questions, or did you write this one yourself?” he posted.
Earlier Sunday, Schiff said Democrats will challenge Whitaker’s appointment because he hasn’t been confirmed by the Senate.
“Yes and yes. I think the appointment is unconstitutional. He is clearly a principal officer and the fact that he is a temporary principal officer doesn’t mean that that is any less subject to Senate confirmation,” Schiff told ABC’s “This Week.”
But Mueller — who, as special counsel, is not a “principal officer,” one who reports directly to the president — doesn’t require Senate approval, although he got Senate confirmation when he was appointed FBI director in 2001.
Mueller, who’s investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and any collusion on the part of Trump campaign associates, now reports to Whitaker, since Whitaker’s appointment on Nov. 7 to replace Jeff Sessions.
Whitaker didn’t require Senate confirmation for his previous job — Sessions’ chief of staff — but he got Senate approval when he was named US attorney in Iowa in 2004.
The Trump White House has defended Whitaker’s appointment, saying his “acting” status means he doesn’t require Senate confirmation.
Whitaker’s opponents have asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether he is legally qualified for the post.
