Sally Yates speaks during a press conference to announce environmental and consumer relief in the Volkswagen litigation at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC on June 28, 2016. (Getty)
Sally Yates will testify before a Senate subcommittee today, discussing what she told the Donald Trump administration regarding Michael Flynn’s alleged ties to Russia.
When the Trump administration fired Yates as acting attorney general in January, the White House dismissed her as a partisan Democrat who had a bone to pick with Donald Trump and who made this decision for political purposes.
“Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration,” the statement read. “It is time to get serious about protecting our country. Calling for tougher vetting for individuals travelling from seven dangerous places is not extreme. It is reasonable and necessary to protect our country.”
So is it true that Sally Yates is a partisan? What is her political affiliation?
Sally Yates is indeed a Democrat. She was appointed by President Barack Obama, and Democrats in Georgia right now are even reportedly trying to recruit Yates to run for governor, according to Politico.
Also, after graduating from the University of Georgia Law School, one of Sally Yates’ first jobs was as a staff assistant to Congressman Jack Brinkley, a Democrat.
“I don’t think you can think of any possible candidates in Georgia and not mention Sally Yates’ name right now,” Tharon Johnson, national southern regional director Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, told Politico. “She’s a symbol of hope and resistance when it comes to standing up to Donald Trump.”
However, Yates has generally kept quiet about her own political views, and she has been supported by both sides of the political aisle. In 2015, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Yates 84 to 12, and Republican Senator Johnny Isakson had nothing but praise for Yates during her confirmation hearing.
“Sally is a great hero of the state of Georgia for 25 years she’s been in the office of Northern District of Georgia prosecuting criminal on public integrity all kind of things like the Olympic Park bombing,” Isakson said. “For the last five years, she’s been the chief attorney, and she’s proved herself over and over and over again to be to be effective to be fair to be diligent and to be the kind of person that you would want representing you in the U.S. Attorney’s office.”
It’s not as if Yates has only gone after Republicans, either. For instance, she lead the prosecution of Democrat Bill Campbell, the mayor of Atlanta.
“She’s never has been an opportunist, and she has never made her decisions based on the politically expedient thing,” Former U.S. Representative Buddy Darden told Politico. “She calls it like she sees it.”