Report: Despite Efforts To Overcome ‘Sin Of Recusal,’ Sessions Still In Doghouse

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) attend a panel discussion on an opioid and drug abuse in the Roosevelt Room of the White House March 29, 2017 in Wash... WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) attend a panel discussion on an opioid and drug abuse in the Roosevelt Room of the White House March 29, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Despite his best efforts, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has not yet found a way to overcome the “sin” of his recusal from the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

The Washington Post reported, citing two unnamed White House advisers, that Sessions has tried to regain President Donald Trump’s good graces by asking aides to make sure Trump is aware of policy decisions that advance his agenda.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, White House counsel Don McGahn and former staffers Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus have also pitched in on Sessions’ campaign to re-ingratiate himself with Trump, according to the report, and the Department of Justice has also begun to examine subjects that Trump has publicly touted as possible matters of interest.

Sessions’ efforts have been unsuccessful, according to the Washington Post. Four unnamed White House officials and advisers cited in the report said that Trump remains angry about Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from the investigation.

According to the report, Trump privately calls Sessions “weak,” considers him unloyal and says that “he should have never recused himself.”

“He’s one of the most active Cabinet secretaries there is,” one unnamed White House official told the Washington Post. “He’s done a fine job. Does it wash away the sin of recusal? I don’t think so.”

According to the report, Trump’s own efforts to force Sessions out by publicly humiliating him have been equally fruitless, though White House officials have privately guessed about who might replace him as attorney general.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. The entire Republican Party is like an episode of “The Walking Dead”, only with more soulless and much uglier zombies.

  2. “Sessions has not yet found a way to overcome the ‘sin’ of his recusal from the federal investigation …”

    Attorney General Sessions properly recusing himself from a conflict-of-interest is a “sin”.

    Senator Feinstein publicly releasing facts makes her “sneaky”.

    President Dunning-Kruger being clueless makes him “like, very smart”.

    Orwell was a total optimist.

  3. …and now filled with even MORE sin!

  4. Trump is clueless. If Sessions hadn’t recused himself he would probably be the center of a giant firestorm that would make it impossible for him to make money on sending pot smokers to his private prisons. Donnie Two Scoops, its just business.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

34 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for playitagainrowlf Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for billfrompa Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for ottnott Avatar for generalsternwood Avatar for bboerner Avatar for dickweed Avatar for ronbyers Avatar for wagonmound Avatar for dommyluc Avatar for established_1781 Avatar for lestat Avatar for romi Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for khyber900 Avatar for centralasiaexpat Avatar for thinski Avatar for clare Avatar for loss_mentality Avatar for swampsofjersey

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: