Demonstration Against Whitaker AG Appointment Held in Effingham

(SOME OF THOSE GATHERED IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE MUSEUM PROTESTING AGAINST MATTHEW WHITAKER'S INSTALLATION AS ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL)

A demonstration protesting President Trump's appointment of Matthew Whitaker as Acting Attorney General was held Thursday evening outside the Courthouse Museum in downtown Effingham.

The gathering of about three dozen individuals was organized by local resident Bill Passalacqua. He believes the installation of Whitaker is unconstitutional in that Whitaker is an individual who reports directly to the President, but who has never been confirmed by the US Senate. Passalacqua also believes the act was done with an eye toward shutting down Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of whether there have been any improper ties between the White House and Russia.

Passalacqua said in a written statement that "our demonstration is a civil and nonviolent exercise of our First Amendment right to free speech." Our Greg Sapp talked with Passalacqua more about the action and why it was taken...

Passalacqua said the group of demonstrators believe that Whitaker should not have been tapped as Acting Attorney General and in any case, ought to recuse himself with regard to the Mueller investigation. The statement reads "We believe strongly that Mueller should be allowed to finish his work unimpeded and that no one is above the law."

Most of those gathered are from Effingham, but there were also participants from Flora, Louisville and Shelbyville. The demonstration ended about 6pm.