Top Republicans Call For Sessions to Recuse Himself

Top Congressional Republicans on Thursday called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation into the Trump-Russia scandal. The call from Republicans comes after news broke that Sessions had twice during the campaign met with the Russian ambassador, a fact he lied about during his Senate confirmation hearing.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz said Thursday that Sessions should recuse himself from any investigation of Russian involvement in the Trump campaign.

“AG Sessions should clarify his testimony and recuse himself,” Chaffetz tweeted early Thursday.

 

Republican Kevin McCarthy also called on Sessions to recuse himself.

“I think, the trust of the American people, you recuse yourself in these situations,” McCarthy said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

“I just think for any investigation going forward, you want to make sure everybody trusts the investigation … that there’s no doubt within the investigation.”

“Does that require his recusal, congressman?” Mark Halperin asked.

“I think it would be easier from that standpoint, yes,” McCarthy said.

Democrats including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi have called for Sessions to resign.

“Jeff Sessions lied under oath during his confirmation hearing before the Senate. Under penalty of perjury, he told the Senate Judiciary Committee, ‘I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.’ We now know that statement is false,” Pelosi said in a statement.