Rod Goes-enstein

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submitted his resignation to President Trump on Monday, finally making a move that had been seriously and repeatedly rumored for many, many months. His resignation is effective May 11, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news.

Rosenstein’s acting successor, Jeffrey Rosen, is currently a deputy at the Transportation Department, per the paper, and is likely be be confirmed by the Senate.

Rosenstein’s resignation comes after he spent the last two years as a frequent punching bag for Donald Trump and his political allies stemming from his decision to appoint Robert Mueller as special counsel in the Russia probe, a move that Mueller’s report made clear roiled the president.

But in his lofty resignation letter, the outgoing deputy attorney general made no mention of the probe or Mueller.

“Political considerations may influence policy choices, but neutral principals must drive decisions about individual cases,” he wrote. “We enforce the law without fear or favor because credible evidence is not partisan, and truth is not determined by opinion polls. We ignore fleeting distractions and focus our attention on the things that matter, because a republic that endures is not governed by the news cycle.”

He also thanked Trump for “the courtesy and humor you often display in our personal conversations” and went on to cite a shared appreciation for Trump’s stated goals of “patriotism, unity, safety.” OK then.