Former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates’ testimony before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee transfixed America on Monday, and Twitter erupted in praise for her unshakeable defense of the law, her unwavering moral compass — and especially her deft takedown of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
Tweets praised Yates’ straightforward, clear-eyed recounting of her alerts to the Trump administration that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail by the Kremlin because of his talks with Russian officials — and her decision that Donald Trump’s first travel ban was unlawful.
Concerning the travel ban, Cruz asked Yates if she knew of any other time in history when the U.S. attorney general refused to defend a policy that had been approved by its Office of Legal Counsel — which is what Yates was fired for. No, Yates conceded, but she added, “I’m also not aware of a situation where the OLC was advised not to tell the attorney general” until after an executive order was launched.
Some tweets hailed Yates’ cool, intelligent face-off with Republican men as inspirational. Others pleaded with her to run for office. Actor and activist George Takei noted that she could be America’s future leader.
A few were frustrated and angry by the men grilling her — and frequently cutting her off — trying to “mansplain” issues to their “superior.”