The Scoop
Senior Department of Justice official Aaron Reitz is expected to depart the Trump administration as soon as next week and pursue a run for Texas attorney general, according to two people familiar with the situation.
Reitz currently serves as the assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy. Confirmed at the end of March on a party-line vote, Reitz has focused at DOJ on recommending legal actions aimed at pushing corporations to end certain DEI initiatives, as well as other priorities.
Trump described Reitz as “a true MAGA warrior” when announcing his nomination in December. Prior to the DOJ, Reitz served as chief of staff to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and also worked as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s deputy. Paxton recently announced a challenge to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
Reitz, the DOJ, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Know More
The Office of Legal Policy plays a key role at the DOJ: Reitz and his team not only advise Attorney General Pam Bondi, but also work with Congress and are often involved with helping select federal judges.
Reitz is expected to enter what could become a crowded attorney general race in Texas, though it remains wide open as of now. Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton announced his bid for the post a few weeks ago. John Bash, one of Elon Musk’s lawyers, briefly entered the race but dropped out last week, citing a health scare in his family.
It remains unclear who Trump will nominate to replace Reitz.
Notable
- Reitz came under scrutiny for thousands of deleted social media posts during his confirmation process, CBS News reported.