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TX-04 Congressman Floated as Possible Next Attorney General

U.S. House photo
U.S. House photo

However the midterms turn out, there is a potential for a post-election shakeup in the Trump White House. One of the positions thought to be on thin ice is that of attorney general. President Trump and AG Jeff Sessions have not always seen eye to eye.

One of the names making the rounds as a possible replacement for Sessions is District 4 Congressman John Ratcliffe. On Sunday, Politico floated the Texas Republican’s name as a lead candidate. Ratcliffe is a former U.S. Attorney who served that office at the same time as Sessions.

Last November, Ratcliffe questioned Sessions in Washington on the ethics of the Department of Justice as they relate to the Russia Investigations. Ratcliffe is the chair of the House Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Committee. He recently stated to KETR that cybersecurity matters, such as emails and texts, have been at the fore of the investigations.

Ratcliffe is running for re-election in the heavily red 4th Congressional District in Northeast Texas. His main opponent, Democrat Catherine Krantz, said in a statement that she’s not surprised to see Ratcliffe’s name being floated to replace Sessions.

Ratcliffe has been a Trump loyalist from the beginning. Krantz says He has been “solely focused on the man who can give him the next job.

He has not commented publicly

A full statement from Catherine Krantz follows:

If true, that would explain a lot. I knew he was angling for a higher position, but I assumed he wanted to run the FBI, since he has spent so much time criticizing the FBI on FOX, and since that seems to be how this administration works, put the biggest critic in charge. But guess he was aiming even higher, Attorney General.  That explains why he has raised around $1 million dollars in campaign funds but has hardly spent any money at all, I drive all over district 4 and he has hardly any campaign signs anywhere.  It explains why he’s never shown up to a single candidate forum or event all year, and I have spent the entire year sitting next to an empty chair at a dozen events. I have literally never met the man.  I spent the last year wondering if he would ever campaign at all, if he even wanted this job.  Guess not.  That is one of my biggest criticisms of our current government. Congressmen who don’t even want the job. They want the job that comes after the job. The high paid lobbying job, the influential appointment. It would explain why so many Republicans are ignoring their constituents in favor of an audience of one.  He has been solely focused on the man who can give him the next job, it would explain why he votes over 90% of the time with Trump and doesn’t show up in his own district at all.  
 
Voters of District 4 should know that even if Rep. Ratcliffe wins in November, if he is appointed Attorney General, he will step down and leave this spot vacant.  We deserve a representative that actually wants the job, actually wants to represent us and work hard for our communities, that is not Ratcliffe.

Scott Morgan has been an award-winning journalist since 2001. His work has appeared in several newspapers and magazines as well as online. He has also been an editor, freelancer, speaker, writing teacher, author, and podcaster.