Eleven Democratic senators on Tuesday asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ role in the firing of FBI Director James Comey violated his pledge to recuse himself from the investigation into ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia.
“It is clear that Attorney General Sessions had an active role in the termination of Director Comey,” the letter read.
Trump cited recommendations from Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in his letter dismissing Comey, and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the President “acted based on the clear recommendations” of both.
The letter from Democrats asserted that Sessions’ actions seem “to be a clear violation” of his promise to recuse himself, “and can only be construed as an attempt to influence an ongoing investigation that threatens to examine his own role in the 2016 presidential campaign, as well as other elements of President Trump’s campaign and administration.”
Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Edward Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) signed the letter.
