Trump, Republicans Resist Call for Trump-Russia Special Prosecutor

Friday, 03 March 2017 09:41

Flegenheimer writes: "Congressional Republicans, straining to defend the Trump administration amid investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, resisted growing calls on Thursday for a special prosecutor or select congressional committee to review the matter, even as Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any inquiry."

'My concern is,' Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah asked, 'why are our Democratic senators so doggone rude' to the attorney general? (photo: Gabriella Demczuk/The New York Times)

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Trump, Republicans Resist Call for Trump-Russia Special Prosecutor

By Matt Flegenheimer, The New York Times

03 March 17

ongressional Republicans, straining to defend the Trump administration amid investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, resisted growing calls on Thursday for a special prosecutor or select congressional committee to review the matter, even as Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any inquiry.

That decision followed a day in which Republicans mostly closed ranks around Mr. Sessions, a well-liked former Senate colleague, amid revelations that he spoke with the Russian ambassador last year, seemingly contradicting testimony from his confirmation hearing in January.

Initially, the fallout seemed to spawn fissures among Republicans: Several, including Senators Rob Portman of Ohio and Susan Collins of Maine, were quick to call for Mr. Sessions�s recusal, defying party leaders � including President Trump � who had said earlier on Thursday that they saw no reason for it.

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