Trump’s anti-LGBT Attorney General ‘lied to the Senate’ about secret Russia meetings
Jeff Sessions and Donald Trump
Trump’s anti-LGBT Attorney General is facing calls to resign, after serious allegations he lied to the Senate about secret meetings with Russian diplomats.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been at the top of the anti-LGBT lobby within the Trump administration, and was reportedly behind the recent decision to scrap discrimination protections for transgender students.
He is under fire today after revelations that he appeared to have lied to the Senate under oath during his confirmation hearing.
Sessions explicitly confirmed that he had had no contact with Russian officials, but it has now emerged that he secretly spoke twice last year with Russian diplomats, during Trump’s Presidential campaign.
The off-the-books conversions included a private meeting between Sessions and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in September – at the height of alleged Russian interference in the US Election.
Sessions’ role is particularly harmful given he as Attorney General was expected to lead the investigation into Russia’s election interference.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is one of many opponents now calling on Sessions to resign.
He said: “The information reported last night makes it clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that [Sessions] cannot 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 and Wonderland quality if this administration were to [ask] him to investigate himself.
“This goes beyond that… he had weeks to correct the record that he made before the [Senate] but he left the record stand. There cannot be even a scintilla of doubt about the impartiality and fairness about the Attorney General, the top law enforcement official of the land.
After this, it’s clear Attorney General Sessions does not meet that test. For the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign.”
Sessions brushed off the calls, telling NBC: “I have not met with any Russians at any time to discuss any political campaign, and those remarks are unbelievable to me and are false. And I don’t have anything else to say about that.”
Asked if he should quit or recuse himself from the Russia investigation, he said: “I have said whenever it’s appropriate, I will recuse myself. There’s no doubt about that.”
During a trip today, Trump insisted to reporters that he had “total confidence” in Sessions.
It is the latest in a string of harmful scandals, fuelling stories about Russian influence in Trump’s White House.
Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was previously forced to resign over secret communications with Russia, while last year Trump was forced to ditch campaign chief Paul Manafort after his ties to Russia became the subject of a CIA probe.
Petition: Donald Trump, stop discriminating against transgender kids
