United States President Donald Trump has sacked acting Attorney-General Sally Yates after she directed Justice Department attorneys not to defend his controversial executive refugee and immigration ban.
Ms Yates had said she was not convinced Mr Trump's travel ban was lawful.

"I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution's solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right," Ms Yates said.

"At present, I am not convinced that the defence of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities, nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful."

The Democratic appointee's directive was likely to be temporary, given that Senator Jeff Sessions, Mr Trump's pick for attorney-general, will likely move to uphold the president's policy.

Mr Sessions is awaiting Senate confirmation.

Still, Ms Yates's abrupt decision deepened the chaos surrounding Mr Trump's order.

At least three top national security officials — Defence Secretary James Mattis, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Rex Tillerson, who is awaiting confirmation to lead the State Department — have told associates they were not aware of details of directive until around the time Mr Trump signed it.

Leading intelligence officials were also left largely in the dark, according to US officials.

Tennessee senator Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations committee, said that despite White House assurances that congressional leaders were consulted, he learned about the order in the media.

The fallout was immediate, with friction growing between Mr Trump and his top advisers and a rush by the Pentagon to seek exemptions to the policy.

The White House approach also sparked an unusually public clash between a president and the civil servants tasked with carrying out his policy.

White House divide deepens as Trump doubles down

A large group of American diplomats circulated a memo voicing their opposition to the order, which temporarily halted the entire US refugee program and banned all entries from seven Muslim-majority nations for 90 days.

In a combative response, White House spokesman Sean Spicer challenged those opposed to the measure to resign.

"They should either get with the program or they can go," Mr Spicer said.

The blowback underscored Mr Trump's tenuous relationship with his own national security advisers, many of whom he met for the first time during the transition, as well as with the Government bureaucracy he now leads.

While Mr Trump outlined his plan for temporarily halting entry to the US from countries with terror ties during the campaign, the confusing way in which it finally was crafted stunned some who have joined his team.

Mr Mattis, who stood next to Mr Trump during the signing ceremony, is said to be particularly incensed.

A senior US official said Mr Mattis, along with Joint Chiefs chairman Joseph Dunford, was aware of the general concept of Mr Trump's order, but not the details.

US officials and others with knowledge of the Cabinet's thinking insisted on anonymity in order to disclose the officials' private views.

Another leftie bites the dust!! ;D ;D ;D

Raven wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 12:49pm:

United States President Donald Trump has sacked acting Attorney-General Sally Yates after she directed Justice Department attorneys not to defend his controversial executive refugee and immigration ban. Ms Yates had said she was not convinced Mr Trump's travel ban was lawful. .

Ahh... Shades of Nixon! Let the collapse begin!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Massacre

Quote:

..................... White House spokesman Sean Spicer challenged those opposed to the measure to resign. "They should either get with the program or they can go," Mr Spicer said..................

trump should give this guy a job


http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/images/07-minister.jpg

John Smith wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 1:37pm:

trump should give this guy a job http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/images/07-minister.jpg

 

Chemical Ali would undermine his "popularity" he wouldn't last long..

Sprintcyclist wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 1:34pm:

Quote: ..................... White House spokesman Sean Spicer challenged those opposed to the measure to resign. "They should either get with the program or they can go," Mr Spicer said..................

Yes...

Nixon said similar things around 1974...

Absurd.  So....if you hold a position in Trump's Administration, you better do what he wants, tell him what he wants no matter that it is 'wrong' if you want to keep your job.

Kremlin.

Aussie wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 2:34pm:

Absurd.  So....if you hold a position in Trump's Administration, you better do what he wants, tell him what he wants no matter that it is 'wrong' if you want to keep your job. Kremlin.

Nazi Germany as well

Aussie wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 2:34pm:

Absurd.  So....if you hold a position in Trump's Administration, you better do what he wants, tell him what he wants no matter that it is 'wrong' if you want to keep your job. Kremlin.

Its pretty much standard fare for an American president with the exception that most presidents don't make the choice so public... Nixon and Trump are good examples of two who made them about as public as could be done... What's the bet that Reagan gave a few that ultimatum over the Iran-Contra affair...

longweekend58 wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 2:40pm:

Aussie wrote on Jan 31st, 2017 at 2:34pm: Absurd.  So....if you hold a position in Trump's Administration, you better do what he wants, tell him what he wants no matter that it is 'wrong' if you want to keep your job. Kremlin. Nazi Germany as well

Yes, that's a better example.  This surge in nationalism controlled by a handful is nasty.  Stand up America ~ piss this prick off.

Quote:

President Donald Trump fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates Monday night after she refused to defend his immigration order and touched off a major drama in the opening days of his presidency. "The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement. The fast-moving events Monday thrust Yates into a standoff with the new president and into the national spotlight. Appointed by President Barack Obama, Yates had been running Trump's Justice Department until his attorney general nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions, is confirmed. Before that, she had spent years defending Obama administration policies, championing changes to the criminal justice system and curtailing the federal government's use of private prisons. Trump fires acting AG after she declines to defend travel ban Monday, Yates told Justice Department lawyers not to make legal arguments defending Trump's executive order on immigration and refugees, launching herself into the biggest controversy of the opening days of Trump's presidency. "My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is after consideration of all the facts," Yates said in a letter to department lawyers. Hours later, she was gone, a dramatic end to her lengthy career in the department.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/30/politics/who-is-sally-yates/

Quote:

White House press secretary Sean Spicer

Is that the same idiot who invented 'alternative facts?'

Aussie wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 2:59pm:

Quote: White House press secretary Sean Spicer Is that the same idiot who invented 'alternative facts?'

Nope that was Kelly Con job..

Agnes wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 3:04pm:

Aussie wrote on Jan 31st, 2017 at 2:59pm: Quote: White House press secretary Sean Spicer Is that the same idiot who invented 'alternative facts?' Nope that was Kelly Con job..

same garbage... different persons.

Agnes wrote on Jan 31^st, 2017 at 3:04pm:

Aussie wrote on Jan 31st, 2017 at 2:59pm: Quote: White House press secretary Sean Spicer Is that the same idiot who invented 'alternative facts?' Nope that was Kelly Con job..

I dunno all the names, but wasn't Kelly describing what Spicer created?

http://www.ozpolitic.com/album/forum-attachments/trump_001.JPG