Schumer Calls on Sessions to Resign — We Need A Special Prosecutor

Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign over allegations he met with Russian officials from a Washington Post story published late Wednesday night.

Schumer also called for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate.

Schumer said, “Last night, when I read the revelations regarding Attorney General Sessions’ contact with the Russian ambassador and his decision to mislead congress about those contacts, I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach. I worried about the future of our country with foreign influenceIin our elections. It goes to the very wellspring of our democracy. For weeks I have said that Attorney General Sessions needs to himself from any investigation into contacts between the president and his associates on the campaign and transition and Russia. For weeks, I made clear that I believe Attorney General Sessions’ close relationship with the Trump campaign requires that he recuse himself from the executive branch investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.”

“It’s a matter of Department of Justice guidelines that I’ve read to you several times that are very clear,” he continued. “The guidelines are clear as day. Yet Attorney General Sessions has demurred. The information reported last night makes it clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that Attorney General Sessions cannot possibly lead an investigation into Russian interference in our elections or come anywhere near it. With these revelations, he may very well become the subject of it. It would be of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ quality of this administration were to sanction him to investigate himself. Recusal should have been given. But this goes beyond that. He had weeks, Attorney General Sessions had weeks to correct the record that he made before the Judiciary Committee.”

“But he let the record stand,” Schumer added. “There cannot be even the scintilla of doubt about the impartiality and fairness of the attorney general, the top law enforcement official of the land. After this, it’s clear Attorney General Sessions does not meet that test. Because the justice department should be above reproach, for the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign.”

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