A majority of registered voters say former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was ousted because President Trump wanted a loyal soldier overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, according to a new poll released Monday.
A Hill.tv and HarrisX polling company survey found that 66 percent of respondents believe Mr. Sessions was nixed because Mr. Trump wanted a loyal attorney general. The same poll found that 34 percent said Mr. Sessions was forced to resign because he was not effective.
The poll also found that 61 percent of Republicans said Mr. Sessions was ousted because he was ineffective, while 87 percent of Democrats said it was because Mr. Trump wanted a loyal attorney general.
The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters less than one week after Mr. Sessions stepped down and was replaced by his own chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker.
Mr. Trump’s critics have seized on the appointment, criticizing the new acting attorney general for previous comments he has made about the Muller investigation. They have also blasted the president for ignoring the Justice Department’s statutory line of succession.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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