states claims to know who he is. >> i don't know him. he worked for jeff sessions. he was extremely highly thought of and he still is. i didn't know matt whittaker. >> he clearly does know whittaker well enough to appoint him acting ag. he told fox news he knew whittaker last month. >> i can tell you he's a great guy. i know matt whittaker. >> i mean we have the tapes. come on. back in september the new york times reported on the good relationship the two men share. critics aren't concerned with him relationship with the president. they take issue with his history of partisan opinion about robert m mueller's investigation. >> truth is there was no collusion with the russians in the trump campaign. there was interference but that's not collusion with the campaign. that's where the left seems to be combining the two issues.