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March 02, 2017 02:07 PM UTC

Sessions Snared In Russiagate, Gardner Defends "Jeff"--For Now

  • 33 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #4: Attorney General Jeff Sessions recuses himself from any investigation into the 2016 presidential elections as questions about his testimony continue.

—–

UPDATE #3: Looks like Sen. Cory Gardner may have finally realized this is a problem, but still no call even for Sessions to recuse himself from the Russiagate investigation:

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UPDATE #2: Sen. Michael Bennet, who led the call for Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from the Russiagate investigation, seems to be evolving toward a call to resign:

Meanwhile, the Denver Post’s John Frank has a damning new lede:

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner remains unconvinced that Attorney General Jeff Sessions needs to recuse himself from the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, despite new details and mounting pressure for Sessions to step aside.

Ouch.

—–

UPDATE: Rep. Mike Coffman calls Sessions’ omission “grave” as Cory Gardner’s silence begins to roar:

—–

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL).

Politico reporting, very bad news for the Trump administration on the Russian subversion front today:

The Trump administration’s Russia problem has flared up big-time amid revelations that Attorney General Jeff Sessions met twice with the Russian ambassador last year — and didn’t tell senators about it during his confirmation…

Calls for Sessions to recuse himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into ties between Trump and Russia have snowballed, following a Washington Post report Tuesday night exposing multiple meetings between Sessions and Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the U.S., during the campaign. Those meetings, one of which occurred during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, came amid an alleged effort by Russia to aid Trump’s campaign, for which Sessions was a prominent surrogate.

Asked about connections between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign during his confirmation hearings, Sessions did not disclose his meetings with the ambassador and, in fact, told Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) that “I did not have communications with the Russians.” In a set of written answers for Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sessions said he had not been in contact with Russian officials regarding the 2016 campaign.

In the wake of this revelation of what could be perjury committed by the nation’s Attorney General during his Senate confirmation hearings, Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver has issued a call for Jeff Sessions to resign immediately:

“Attorney General Sessions’ contact with the Russian ambassador while an advisor to the Trump campaign once again proves this administration’s causal relationship with transparency and the truth. If these revelations are true, he has perjured himself. In any case, given what we now know, the Attorney General should resign immediately or be removed.

“This continued stream of information regarding campaign, transition, and administration officials communicating with members of the Russian government and failing to disclose it creates an air of uncertainty about the information and guidance that the President is receiving from his closest advisors. Further, such disclosures point to the possibility that our democracy is being undermined by a foreign power with the consent of the White House. It is now more clear than ever that the United Sates Congress – and perhaps even a special prosecutor – should investigate and bring forth a transparent reporting of the facts since the administration evidently is unwilling to do so.”

The Hill reports that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is also calling for Sessions’ head:

“There cannot be even a scintilla of doubt about the impartiality and fairness of the attorney general, the top law enforcement official of the land,” Schumer told reporters at a news conference. “It’s clear Attorney General Sessions does not meet that test. Because the Department of Justice should be above reproach, for the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign.”

Schumer, who for weeks has called for Sessions to recuse himself from the Justice Department’s investigation of contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russian intelligence agents, stepped up his demands after The Washington Post reported Wednesday night that Sessions misled Congress about meeting with the Russian ambassador.

So far, several Republicans including Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio have called for Sessions to recuse himself from investigations into Russian interference in last year’s election, but the facts of this are bad enough that that could change at any time. As of this morning, though, we’re obliged to note that Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado is refusing to even call for Sessions to recuse himself–having had the chance and failed today to do so in an NPR interview.

Because of the direct threat he poses to Colorado’s economy with regard to the state’s billion-dollar marijuana industry, Sessions has been one of the most controversial of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees in our state. Gardner is already in a difficult position defending Sessions, after Sessions apparently misled him before his confirmation claiming that marijuana wasn’t a high priority for the administration.

If Sessions’ attorney generalship unravels while Gardner plays defense, it’s not going to look good for our junior Senator.

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33 thoughts on “Sessions Snared In Russiagate, Gardner Defends “Jeff”–For Now”

  1. Let's get the facts before rushing to judgment. That's all Cory is saying.

    BTW, I'm not sympathetic on marijuana one bit. Sessions is right about marijuana, it's a threat to our children. Don't expect that to convince a conservative Sessions is a bad guy.

    1. You know what's a real threat to children, brave little troll? Lack of access to health care. A hot breakfast. Clean air.  Clean Water. Well-funded public schools, trade schools and universities. If you were half as indignant over any of those issues we wouldn't take you for the half-wit you are – hiding behind a curtain.  Grow a pair and come out from behind your veil. 

        1. Perhaps you could elaborate on how marijuana is a threat to children. Is it any more of a threat than tobacco and alcohol, both of which can be available to children altho kids can't legally buy these items? Perhaps, as you say, you should have some facts before rushing to judgement. 

    3. OMG.  Sessions is in bed with the Russians and MoldyAnus wants pretend that they didn't even kiss.  Ahh.  How disingenuous a little liar can he be.

      It doesn't matter what Sessions and the Russki agent spoke about.  Sessions perjured himself by denying any contact with this hostile foreign government prior to the election during his confirmation hearings.  No way he should continue as the nations top cop when he can't tell the truth under oath.  What a fucking scumbag of a human being to be MoldyAnus' hero. 

    4. Moddy – they appear to be playing your ilk like a fiddle.  It turns out, in private, Sessions isn't so interested in 'saving the children' (as you'd describe the situation)

      Sessions reassures senators: No pot crackdown imminent

       Attorney General Jeff Sessions has privately reassured some Republican senators that he won't deviate from an Obama-era policy of allowing states to implement their own marijuana laws.

       

            1. Do you have "The Wind", his last? Petty, Springsteen, Jeff Beck, and a bunch of other great musicians threw a blow-out send-off for him and got a great album out of it.

  3. Sessions has removed himself from the investigation into Russian involvement in the elections.  That is not enough!  He should resign, and following his own words with regard to Bill Clinton, he should face criminal charges.

    Apparently, one of Sessions meetings with the Russian ambassador was "during the Republican convention."  Was that in Cleveland that they met?  What was the Russian ambassador doing at the Republican convention, and who else did he meet with while there?

    Sorry, Gardner is too much of an enabler for this toxic administration.

  4. Still having acceptance problems?

    You lost.

    Blame it on the Russians?

    They must have stopped Hillary from campaigning in the upper mid-west.

    1. Is that the best you can muster? Seriously? That's it?

      First Monafort. Then the National Security Advisor. Now the AG. Even Clouseau could connect those dots.

    2. Russians have connections to Trump campaign and admin officials and every news source worth their salt is publishing story after story about this. It caused Michael Flynn' tenure as NSA to be shorter than William Henry Harrison's Presidency.  But "nothing to see here.  Fuck national security.  Our guy won!!! Right Carnhall?

    3. The person having trouble accepting what a bunch of lying scumbags are in the White House is you AC.  If they are willing to lie under oath than what else are they capable of that they aren't disclosing.  No wonder they see the media as the enemy.  They don't want any of their subterfuge and treason disclosed.  Instead of voter fraud AC, maybe if you really are the patriot you think you are you will seriously advocate for an investigation into election fraud and see how people were manipulated with propaganda to undermine the principles of a free and fair election.  You aren't afraid to have our government investigate the possibility of election fraud are you AC?  If it was good enough for Benghazi and Clinton's mail server than protecting our elections from external threats should also be a necessary investigation don't you agree?

        1. He certainly speaks with a forked tongue.  He wanted to lock up Hillary because he thought she perjured herself in front of a Congressional committee when she said she didn't send classified documents over an unsecured server.  He was unimpressed when she tried to parse whether a tiny symbol (c) represented a confidential versus a classified document.  According to Andrew, she supposedly committed a federal crime when she supposedly perjured herself and deserved a prison sentence.  In this case we know that Sessions committed perjury during his nomination hearing so the same standard should apply.  "LOCK HIM UP"

    4. Come on Andrew.  Don't be a weasel.  Tell us why Sessions shouldn't be locked up for committing perjury in a federal proceeding.  I bet you are a coward who never comes back to this post to defend people who lie to Congress.  Show us how deeply you are committed to law and order Andrew.  Tell us what a great American you and how you more than us believe in the Constitution and free and fair elections and that stealing from other people is wrong.  I bet you can't do it because you are not really an American who is committed to fair play and law and order.  That makes you a consort with criminals who decide which laws they will follow.  What a weakling.

      1. Gilpin Guy: haven't you figured out yet that Andrew, Moderatus, Passionate Prune are on this site solely to stir things up with quick, tweet-like, comments? They then delight in watching all you liberals running around trying to engage in dialogue with those who seldom intend to engage. 

        I think the only conservative who posts here, and often engages with you liberal folks in dialogue, is me. But won't happen this time on this issue. I think Sessions did the right thing to recuse himself. Should Sessions resign? Maybe, but I'd like to see a stronger, more airtight, case before personally saying he should resign. Or put differently, what else is "out there" that might see the light of day? Remember the X Files: "the truth is out there." 

  5. Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and now a senior adviser, also participated in the meeting at Trump Tower with Mr. Flynn and Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador. 

    Trump denies any contacts or knowledge of contacts with the Russians… And his closest adviser and son-in-law have the meeting a few doors away from Trump's office in December as sanctions were being discussed?

    Hmmm, Hmmm, let me think about this? What could possibly be wrong with this scenario?

  6. Senator Al Franken:

    …wants Sessions to answer two demands by Friday:

    1. In the seven weeks following your confirmation hearing, why did you fail to clarify that you had indeed communicated on more than one occasion with the Russian Ambassador during the 2016 presidential campaign until the Washington Post exposed those interactions?

    2. Describe in detail any and all communications between yourself and Russian officials and their associates during the presidential campaign of 2016, including but not limited to in-person conversations, phone calls, meetings, and electronic communications. Also include any such communications between members of your staff, including your Senate staff and any staff that assisted you during the campaign, and Russian officials and their associates.

    And if the answers to those questions show Sessions knowingly misled Congress, he is not fit to serve as the nation’s top law enforcer, Franken said.

    “If it is determined that you lied to the [Judiciary] Committee and the American people under oath during your confirmation hearing, it is incumbent upon you to resign from your position as attorney general,” Franken wrote.

  8. History will determine what the final date for courage is. What is the date, after which, it will be too late for any R to grow a spine. The date by which it will be too late to stand up for America if you ever want to be President

    The most important date though is the date by which we lose America. Over Trump???

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