Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) on Tuesday pushed back on President Donald Trump’s public criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his decision to recuse himself from the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“I don’t think personnel decisions are usually well resolved over Twitter,” Gowdy said on Fox News.
Trump on Tuesday declined to say whether he wanted Sessions to remain attorney general, capping off a week of public criticism during which he called Sessions “beleaguered” and complained about his recusal.
“I think the President’s frustration was not the recusal. I hope it wasn’t, because I don’t think Attorney General Sessions had a choice but to recuse himself,” Gowdy said. “If the president is going to be frustrated, he should be frustrated by what led up to the recusal, which was Sen. Sessions had a faulty memory.”
He said Sessions’ decision to recuse himself “was appropriate.”
“His failure to recall meetings with the Russian ambassador is what led him to that point,” Gowdy said. “And if the President’s frustrated about that, I understand his frustration, but you work all that out during the interview process, not after you get the job.”
Asked what he would do in Sessions’ place in the face of Trump’s public criticism, Gowdy said, “I would not stay if my employer had lost confidence in me.”
“On the other hand, Attorney General Sessions may believe that he is doing the job in the way that he is supposed to,” he added. “He doesn’t work for the President, he works for a blindfolded woman holding a set of scales. So he’s got to make that call.”
Thanks, Captain Obvious. Sessions recused himself because he had to, it’s a little thing called the law. Perhaps Gowdy should acquaint himself with it.
That didn’t sound like a push back against Trump. It sounds like he called Sessions an addled old fool. Better headline, Gowdy throws Sessions under the bus.
“Leave Brittany alooooooooone!”
“I think the President’s frustration was not the recusal. I hope it wasn’t…"
And if it was, then what? Let’s hear it.
"Sessions had a faulty memory.”
Correct, Trey! Sessions totes forgot he’d endorsed an authoritarian thug for president.