Obstruction Inquiry Shows Trumps Struggle to Keep Grip on Russia Investigation
Source: New York Times
WASHINGTON President Trump gave firm instructions in March to the White Houses top lawyer: stop the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, from recusing himself in the Justice Departments investigation into whether Mr. Trumps associates had helped a Russian campaign to disrupt the 2016 election.
Public pressure was building for Mr. Sessions, who had been a senior member of the Trump campaign, to step aside. But the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, carried out the presidents orders and lobbied Mr. Sessions to remain in charge of the inquiry, according to two people with knowledge of the episode.
Mr. McGahn was unsuccessful, and the president erupted in anger in front of numerous White House officials, saying he needed his attorney general to protect him. Mr. Trump said he had expected his top law enforcement official to safeguard him the way he believed Robert F. Kennedy, as attorney general, had done for his brother John F. Kennedy and Eric H. Holder Jr. had for Barack Obama.
Mr. Trump then asked, Wheres my Roy Cohn? He was referring to his former personal lawyer and fixer, who had been Senator Joseph R. McCarthys top aide during the investigations into communist activity in the 1950s and died in 1986.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/politics/trump-sessions-russia-mcgahn.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fpolitics&action=click&contentCollection=politics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0
Kingofalldems
(38,475 posts)delisen
(6,044 posts)Skraxx
(2,981 posts)How did that happen? It may be the one thing that we can definitively point to that saves the Republic in the end. Sessions miraculously recused. WHAT made that happen? HOW did that happen? That's the million dollar question for me.
Justice
(7,188 posts)fountainofyouth
(409 posts)It says he consulted career officials at DOJ for advice, who recommended he recuse.
Skraxx
(2,981 posts)Heh. I get the feeling he may not have had a choice. And thank goodness for that.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Sessions knew he was had and Mr. Franken had the keys to his Demise.
thbobby
(1,474 posts)Just flailing for a way to hide collusion and money laundering.
Ccarmona
(1,180 posts)DT thinks he was Coronated King on 1/20/2017.
Miigwech
(3,741 posts)like the ''Chin" Gigante ......... no dementia, no medical excuse. Just lock him up!
highplainsdem
(49,034 posts)"The New York Times has also learned that four days before Mr. Comey was fired, one of Mr. Sessionss aides asked a congressional staff member whether he had damaging information about Mr. Comey, part of an apparent effort to undermine the F.B.I. director. It was not clear whether Mr. Muellers investigators knew about this incident."
mobeau69
(11,156 posts)Obstruction as clear as a hair on your face!
Massacure
(7,526 posts)Once again, Mr. Trump erupted at Mr. Sessions upon hearing the news. In an Oval Office meeting, the president said the attorney general had been disloyal for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, and he told Mr. Sessions to resign.
Mr. Sessions sent his resignation letter to the president the following day. But Mr. Trump rejected it, sending it back with a handwritten note at the top.
Not accepted, the note said.
For as much as Trump distrusts Sessions, I'm surprised that he did not accept that resignation.
zentrum
(9,865 posts)Robert Duvall?