Tag: AG Sessions

Sessions’ war on pot could speed up marijuana legalization nationwide

The following article by Paul Seaborn, Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, on the Conversation website February 6, 2018:

Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently clarified how the Trump administration intends to treat states that have legalized pot, which remains illegal on the federal level.

The Obama administration eventually took a relatively hands-off approach to this enforcement conundrum. But Sessions instructed all United States attorneys to treat cannabis-related activities like any suspected crime, instead of making them a low priority if they comply with state laws. Continue reading “Sessions’ war on pot could speed up marijuana legalization nationwide”

Sessions Silent as Trump Attacks His Department, Risking Independence and Morale

The following article by Katie Benner was posted on the New York Times website February 4, 2018:

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, left, in Washington last week with his top leaders, Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, and Rachel Brand, the associate attorney general. Credit Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters

WASHINGTON — As President Trump hammers away at the Justice Department’s credibility, one voice has been notably absent in the department’s defense: the one at the top.

The attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has been largely quiet and even yielding as the president leads the most public and prolonged political attack on the department in history, a silence that breaks with a long tradition of attorneys general protecting the institution from such interference.

“What is unusual is the F.B.I. and the Justice Department being attacked, the president leading the charge and the attorney general missing in action,” said Jack L. Goldsmith, a Harvard law professor who headed the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush. “Why isn’t he sticking up for the department?” Continue reading “Sessions Silent as Trump Attacks His Department, Risking Independence and Morale”

Stunning: Trump May Ask Sessions To Prosecute Mueller

The following article by Tommy Christopher of the ShareBlue website was posted on the National Memo website January 30, 2018:

Donald Trump never tires of finding new ways to obstruct justice, but his latest scheme is brazen even by Trump’s standards.

On the heels of the bombshell revelation that Trump ordered the firing of special counsel Robert Mueller shortly after his appointment, and Trump’s successful campaign to purge the FBI of another high-ranking official, Trump is reportedly considering another way to get to Mueller.

NBC News reports that Trump is telling his friends and advisers he is considering asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions to prosecute Mueller and his team. Continue reading “Stunning: Trump May Ask Sessions To Prosecute Mueller”

Justice Dept. officials appealed to White House to halt release of memo alleging FBI abuses related to author of Trump dossier

The following article by Josh Dawsey and Devlin Barrett was posted on the Washington Post website January 30, 2018:

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein warned White House Chief of Staff John Kelly Monday about the risks of releasing the document. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Top Justice Department officials made a last-ditch plea Monday to White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly about the dangers of publicly releasing a memo alleging abuses by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to people briefed on the meeting.

Shortly before the House Intelligence Committee voted to make the document public, Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein warned Kelly that the four-page memo prepared by House Republicans could jeopardize classified information and implored the president to reconsider his support for making it public, those people said. Rosenstein was joined in the meeting at the White House by FBI Director Christopher A. Wray. Continue reading “Justice Dept. officials appealed to White House to halt release of memo alleging FBI abuses related to author of Trump dossier”

Trump sought release of classified Russia memo, putting him at odds with Justice Department

The following article by Ashley Parker, Rosalind S. Helderman, Josh Dawsey and Carol D. Leonnig was posted on the Washington Post website January 27, 2018:

President Trump on Jan. 24 suggested that he could be investigated for obstruction of justice for his decision to “fight back” against the Russia probe. (Video: David Nakamura/Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

On Wednesday, as Republicans were clamoring to make public a secret document they think will undercut the investigation into Russian meddling, President Trump made clear his desire: Release the memo.

Trump’s directive was at odds with his own Justice Department, which had warned that releasing the classified memo written by congressional Republicans would be “extraordinarily reckless” without an official review. Nevertheless, White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly relayed the president’s view to Attorney General Jeff Sessions — although the decision to release the document ultimately lies with Congress. Continue reading “Trump sought release of classified Russia memo, putting him at odds with Justice Department”

It’s looking more and more like Jeff Sessions is doing Trump’s political dirty work

The following article by Aaron Blake was posted on the Washington Post website January 23, 2018:

President Trump said on Jan. 23 that he’s not concerned “at all” about special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s interview with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. (The Washington Post)

The defining moment of Jeff Sessions’s time as attorney general has been when he recused himself from oversight of the Russia investigation. That quickly led to the appointment of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is now extensively probing President Trump. And by all accounts, it seriously strained Sessions’s relationship with Trump, who thinks Sessions should be protecting him and doing his bidding.

But there are increasing signs that Sessions has indeed done plenty of Trump’s bidding behind closed doors. And he’s done it on some dicey and very politically tinged issues — so much so that he made Trump’s second FBI director deeply uncomfortable with the whole thing. Continue reading “It’s looking more and more like Jeff Sessions is doing Trump’s political dirty work”

Sessions interviewed by special counsel probing possible Trump campaign ties with Russia

The follow article by Ellen Nakashima, Devlin Barrett and Sari Horwitz was posted on the Washington Post website January 23, 2018:

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed last week by investigators for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s probe. (Reuters)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed last week by investigators for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s probe into possible election campaign coordination between Russia and Trump associates, according to Justice Department officials.

Sessions was questioned for several hours, the officials said. In addition to the Russian coordination probe, Mueller is also investigating whether President Trump or any White House officials sought to obstruct justice in the probe. Continue reading “Sessions interviewed by special counsel probing possible Trump campaign ties with Russia”

y Tensions swell between Sessions and FBI over senior personnel from Comey era

The following article by Devlin Barrett and Philip Rucker was posted on the Washington Post website January 22, 2018:

During questioning from lawmakers on Dec. 7, FBI Director Christopher Wray responded to President Trump’s critical tweets from Dec. 3. (Reuters)

FBI Director Christopher A. Wray has been resisting pressure from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to replace the bureau’s deputy director, Andrew McCabe, a frequent target of criticism from President Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.

The tension over McCabe and other high-level FBI officials who served during James B. Comey’s tenure has reached the White House, where counsel Donald McGahn has sought to mediate the issue, these people said. Continue reading “y Tensions swell between Sessions and FBI over senior personnel from Comey era”

Sessions tries to impress Trump with moves at Justice. It hasn’t worked.

The following article by Josh Dawsey and Matt Zapotosky was posted on the Washington Post website January 11, 2018:

The relationship between President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions has deteriorated in recent months. Here’s a look at how they got to this point. (Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is trying to find his way back into President Trump’s good graces.

For months, Sessions has asked senior White House aides to make sure the president knows what he is doing at the Justice Department, two White House advisers said, and has told allies he hopes policy decisions that garner news coverage will please Trump. Sessions’s team at Justice has crafted a public campaign to highlight the work it is doing to advance the president’s agenda. The department has also begun looking into matters that Trump has publicly complained are not being pursued. Continue reading “Sessions tries to impress Trump with moves at Justice. It hasn’t worked.”

At Trump’s behest, top White House lawyer urged Jeff Sessions not to step aside from Russia probe

The following article by Matt Zapotosky and Josh Dawsey was psoted on the Washington Post website January 4, 2018″

President Trump sits with Attorney General Jeff Sessions last month. Trump’s White House counsel personally lobbied Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. (Evan Vucci/AP)

At the behest of President Trump, the White House’s top lawyer called Attorney General Jeff Sessions shortly before he recused himself from the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and tried to persuade him not to do so, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

By then, one of the people said, Sessions had essentially already made up his mind to step aside, and though the lawyer’s phone call sparked some additional discussions, the attorney general would ultimately turn over the probe to his top deputy. Continue reading “At Trump’s behest, top White House lawyer urged Jeff Sessions not to step aside from Russia probe”