So much for a slow news Friday night:
Holy crap. Rachel Brand, no. 3 under Rosenstein, is stepping down. https://t.co/Hj0x1GdE8h
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) February 9, 2018
According to sources, Brand will take a job in corporate America:
CNN can confirm the No. 3 official at Justice Dept. Rachel Brand is leaving — per a friend, she wasn’t looking to leave but offered the type of job you “don’t turn down."
— Laura Jarrett (@LauraAJarrett) February 9, 2018
**BREAKING**
Fox News can confirm Rachel Brand is stepping down as Associate Attorney General, the number 3 position at the DOJ. A friend of Brand’s says Rachel was, “not looking to leave,” but was approached by a Fortune 500 company with a “dream job.” #FoxNews— Jake Gibson (@JakeBGibson) February 9, 2018
Brand is important as she — or whomever replaces her — would have been in charge of the Mueller investigation if President Trump had fired Rob Rosenstein:
From 2 weeks ago:
"Another option that Mr. Trump considered in discussions with his advisers was dismissing the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, and elevating the Justice Department’s No. 3 official, Rachel Brand, to oversee Mr. Mueller."https://t.co/XBizA5EWXk
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) February 9, 2018
Reaction from libs is mixed … even in the same tweet:
Rachel Brand leaving @TheJusticeDept may not be a big deal. Or it could be a monumentally big deal depending on who replaces her and whether @realDonaldTrump ever fires Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein. https://t.co/eBCZYTQS4g
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 9, 2018
To be continued…
Update: The new No. 3 will be Solicitor General Noel Francisco:
DOJ spox confirms that Solicitor General Noel Francisco now next in line to oversee Mueller investigation: "If there isn’t a senate confirmed Associate AG, the SG is next in line for the order of succession."
— Pema Levy (@pemalevy) February 9, 2018
Update: To Walmart?
The White House — and this admin — are in a state of crisis. Rachel Brand, #3 at DOJ, is leaving, per somebody close to her & admin, "because she is very smart, accomplished, and talented, and wants to protect her career." She is going to Walmart, this source says.
— Eliana Johnson (@elianayjohnson) February 9, 2018
Walmart is what I'm hearing as well. https://t.co/ovpeVedqTq
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) February 9, 2018
***
