Did he recuse, or didn't he: Jeff Sessions refuses to say whether he is sitting out Cohen case
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For the second time in as many days, Attorney General Jefferson Sessions has equivocated when asked about his position with regards to the Michael Cohen investigation. Attorney General Jeff Sessions evaded lawmakers’ questions on Wednesday about whether hDid he recuse, or didn't he: Jeff Sessions refuses to say whether he is sitting out Cohen case
For the second time in as many days, Attorney General Jefferson Sessions has equivocated when asked about his position with regards to the Michael Cohen investigation. Attorney General Jeff Sessions evaded lawmakers’ questions on Wednesday about whether his longstanding recusal from campaign-related investigations extended to the Justice Department inquiry into President Trump’s personal lawyer, saying only that he would not confirm the existence of the investigation itself. Refusing to confirm that an investigation exists is a new level of Sessions’ hear-no, see-no, speak-no position. This is an investigation that notably started with raids on the office and home of Trump’s personal attorney. It’s featured numerous courtroom appearances in which the identity of client number three, also known as Sean Hannity, was revealed. It’s been the subject of half a dozen Trump tweets, including Trump’s legal opinion on the horrible erosion of attorney-client privilege. But Sessions not only won’t own up to whether or not he’s recused himself from the investigation, he’s seriously playing the “Investigations? What investigation?” card. The topic of recusal is particularly sensitive for Mr. Sessions, once a close ally of Mr. Trump and one of his earliest political supporters. By refusing to answer lawmakers’ questions about the Cohen investigation, Mr. Sessions avoided further wrath from Mr. Trump if he were to conclude that his attorney general had stepped back from an inquiry that the president is said to view as a greater threat than the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling. Sessions’ “particularly sensitive” situation represents an extraordinary effort to become Schrodinger’s attorney general—both recused and un-recused. By not recusing himself, Sessions avoids a fresh blast from his boss, and retains the right to jump in should it seem that the flames from Cohen’s garbage fire are starting to singe his own very fine coat. But by maintaining the illusion that he may have, somehow, secretly recused himself, Sessions is able to disavow any knowledge of … anything, really. Just in case. But this bit of pinhead dancing isn’t likely to hold up for long. Read more