President Donald Trump attacked Attorney General Jeff Sessions again on Thursday for recusing himself from the Russia probe. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr/cc)
After Trump Again Attacks AG, Battered Minion Jeff Sessions Brags About His 'Unprecedented' Role in Pushing Despicable Agenda
Their latest public spat comes as top GOP senators signal the possible ouster of the AG after the upcoming midterms—a move that could seriously impact the Mueller probe
After President Donald Trump on Thursday lashed out at Attorney General Jeff Sessions--yet again--for recusing himself from the Russia probe, the battered Trump loyalist responded by emphasizing his "unprecedented success at effectuating the president's agenda."
In a wide-ranging interview with "Fox & Friends" on Thursday morning, Trump had slammed Sessions for his recusal, claimed he only appointed the former senator from Alabama to his current post because "he was an original supporter," and said, "I put in an attorney general that never took control of the Justice Department."
In a statement that had corporate news outlets declaring, "Sessions fires back," the attorney general touts his role in pushing an agenda that "enforces our immigration laws"--such as by ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and tearing thousands of migrant children from their parents--and "advances religious liberty," like a directive last year that critics warned would "enable systemic, government-wide discrimination" against LGBTQ people.
Sessions, in his statement, also attempts to reassure the public that as along as he is at the helm, the department "will not be improperly influenced by political considerations."
The exchange comes as Bloomberg reports that top Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, both signaled Thursday that the president could oust Sessions after the midterm elections. Such a move, the outlet notes, "would open the way for firing Robert Mueller or constraining his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election."
While Deputy Attorney General Rob Rosenstein--who is overseeing the Mueller investigation--is next in the line of succession if Sessions is fired or resigned, Trump could install an interim attorney general. The White House claims that Trump has the authority to fire Rosenstein or Mueller, though many legal experts disagree and hundreds of thousands of Americans have pledged to take to the streets if he does.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
After President Donald Trump on Thursday lashed out at Attorney General Jeff Sessions--yet again--for recusing himself from the Russia probe, the battered Trump loyalist responded by emphasizing his "unprecedented success at effectuating the president's agenda."
In a wide-ranging interview with "Fox & Friends" on Thursday morning, Trump had slammed Sessions for his recusal, claimed he only appointed the former senator from Alabama to his current post because "he was an original supporter," and said, "I put in an attorney general that never took control of the Justice Department."
In a statement that had corporate news outlets declaring, "Sessions fires back," the attorney general touts his role in pushing an agenda that "enforces our immigration laws"--such as by ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and tearing thousands of migrant children from their parents--and "advances religious liberty," like a directive last year that critics warned would "enable systemic, government-wide discrimination" against LGBTQ people.
Sessions, in his statement, also attempts to reassure the public that as along as he is at the helm, the department "will not be improperly influenced by political considerations."
The exchange comes as Bloomberg reports that top Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, both signaled Thursday that the president could oust Sessions after the midterm elections. Such a move, the outlet notes, "would open the way for firing Robert Mueller or constraining his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election."
While Deputy Attorney General Rob Rosenstein--who is overseeing the Mueller investigation--is next in the line of succession if Sessions is fired or resigned, Trump could install an interim attorney general. The White House claims that Trump has the authority to fire Rosenstein or Mueller, though many legal experts disagree and hundreds of thousands of Americans have pledged to take to the streets if he does.
After President Donald Trump on Thursday lashed out at Attorney General Jeff Sessions--yet again--for recusing himself from the Russia probe, the battered Trump loyalist responded by emphasizing his "unprecedented success at effectuating the president's agenda."
In a wide-ranging interview with "Fox & Friends" on Thursday morning, Trump had slammed Sessions for his recusal, claimed he only appointed the former senator from Alabama to his current post because "he was an original supporter," and said, "I put in an attorney general that never took control of the Justice Department."
In a statement that had corporate news outlets declaring, "Sessions fires back," the attorney general touts his role in pushing an agenda that "enforces our immigration laws"--such as by ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and tearing thousands of migrant children from their parents--and "advances religious liberty," like a directive last year that critics warned would "enable systemic, government-wide discrimination" against LGBTQ people.
Sessions, in his statement, also attempts to reassure the public that as along as he is at the helm, the department "will not be improperly influenced by political considerations."
The exchange comes as Bloomberg reports that top Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, both signaled Thursday that the president could oust Sessions after the midterm elections. Such a move, the outlet notes, "would open the way for firing Robert Mueller or constraining his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election."
While Deputy Attorney General Rob Rosenstein--who is overseeing the Mueller investigation--is next in the line of succession if Sessions is fired or resigned, Trump could install an interim attorney general. The White House claims that Trump has the authority to fire Rosenstein or Mueller, though many legal experts disagree and hundreds of thousands of Americans have pledged to take to the streets if he does.