US Attorney General recuses himself from Russia investigations

World Today

The top U.S. legal officer, Jeff Sessions, recused himself from an investigation of the Trump campaign with Russia over his contacts with the country.

This means he’ll stay in his post as Attorney General, but will not oversee investigations.

CGTN’s Nathan King reports.

The move came after Jeff Sessions failed to disclose meetings with a top Russian diplomat before being confirmed to his post.

Sessions met twice with Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, once in Session’s office in the Senate, and once on the sidelines of the Republic National Convention. The Attorney General said he did that in his official capacity, not as campaign official. While there is nothing illegal or even improper about these meetings, not revealing them is a political problem. Also, denying the meetings under oath could even be criminal if he is found to have been willfully lying.

Some of Sessions’ political opponents think he needs to go further and resign.

“The fact that the attorney general, the top cop in our country, lied under oath to the American people is grounds for him to resign. It’s grounds for him to resign. He has proved that he is unqualified and unfit to serve in that position of trust,” Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi said.