Republican lawmakers rally around Sessions as Trump intensifies pressure

Mueller must be on to something. Trump is getting more desperate to deflect and unhinged by the day.

The first Senator to endorse Trump, and he throws him under the bus just like that.

Loyalty is a two-way street. What's the point of being loyal to someone who just wants to save their own skin?

This looks to be a ploy to humiliate Sessions into resigning, thus clearing the way for appointing a new AG who will fire or hinder Mueller's investigation.

You have to wonder, why this sudden and increased hostility. The timing seems suspect. Is Mueller getting too close for comfort?

Not to mention, he also threw dirt on Andrew McCabe, acting director of the FBI.

So we have a situation where the POTUS publicly slanders and fires the head of the FBI (a registered Republican), then publicly slanders the acting head of the FBI, and casts aspersions on the special counsel (again a registered Republican, and also a war hero).

The only thing common between these 3 individuals is that they are or were in-charge on investigating the Trump campaign for collusion with Russia.

Add to that the public humiliation of AG Sessions (who recused himself from the investigation much to the displeasure of the Dear Leader), and I think I am starting to see a pattern here.

FullM3taLToday  07:14 am JST

You have to wonder, why this sudden and increased hostility. The timing seems suspect. Is Mueller getting too close for comfort?

While I can see why that would be a tempting thing to believe, at this point I think there's too little evidence to rule out the President simply being grossly incompetent and having no grander motivation.

Trump's leadership style is self-aggrandizing. He intentionally pits subordinates against each other in a contest to win his praise. His behavior toward Sessions could simply be a continuation of that strategy. Even if Mueller weren't particularly close to anything, Trump is angry simply that he isn't being adored. Any time he hears anything negative about himself on the news, he throws a tantrum. So it could simply be that this instance of him lashing out is driven more by the lack of positive attention he's getting from anywhere but a handful of Internet trolls and Russia, not the fact that any criminal evidence is likely to be discovered. To be honest, Trump has shown himself to be so incompetent I doubt he'd have the wherewithal to even infer how close Mueller is to discovering the skeletons in his closet.

I mean, you could be right. We just don't know yet.

Man-baby Trump sure is throwing another hissy fit. And he cries about Republicans "not supporting him"? hahaha.

“That says to Trump, ‘If you do this, if you get rid of him right now, you will have to face the wrath of the far right,"

Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III may get ousted by the Trump/Kushner/Bannon families, but given his far right politics won't have to worry about finding another position. The NRA, KKK, Koch brothers and other rightists will quickly pick him up, pay him big bucks and put him back in the swamp.

@burbbu OMG revelations about Trump and Russia.

Would these include reports saying Russia is back in Afghanistan, this time switching roles with the US and arming the Taliban to fight against the US?

@katsu

I agree. The man is a buffoon, but maybe he is innocent of collusion. But the larger point here is that the buck stops with the President.

Even if Trump did not himself willfully collude, he hired people who had extremely dishonest about their dealings with the Russians. Flynn, Sessions, Kushner, all seem to have had some sort of collective amnesia with regards to their meetings with the Russians during their confirmation hearings or on security clearance forms. As much of an idiot Trump is, I think he understands that dirt on any of these people will bring him down too.

Not to mention the brazen nepotism of appointing family members to be special advisers, taking holidays to go to your own golf clubs on taxpayer dollars (something that Trump supporters are curiously silent on), etc. While these are not prosecutable criminal offences, it still raises significant questions over the strength of the US democracy and the intelligence of the enablers of this phenomenon.

@BBush

Investigations take time.

I see you did not grow so impatient over the 4-year investigation into Benghazi.

I believe this is the case because Sessions knows just enough to perhaps be the one person that could be granted immunity for testifying. He met three times with the Russian ambassador reporting none of the meetings to the WH or Department of State. U.S. Senators have no business holding private meetings with representatives of hostile foreign nations, unless instructed to do so by the president or State.

Republicans love to eat their own. I think we'll step back and just watch this one play out.

Sessions was loyal to Trump so hopefully Trump utterly crucifies him in the press and on Twitter. That would be fun to see, and quite frankly a just punishment for someone who hitches his wagon to a shady character like Trump. And right after Trump talks to the Boy Scouts about loyalty...heh. Awesome.

We also get the benefit of Trump coming off like the hot head, emotionally challenged man that he is. He'll criticize Sessions, then whine about a lot of things, tell the world he's the victim, then criticize Hillary. And I'm going to especially love watching Trump supporters start smearing Sessions on cue. They want to stay on that Trump train so bad they'll do pretty much anything.

All of this is becoming tiresome. As for me I wish they would initiate an investigation with a special council and get this over with. Or perhaps this really matters little any more. The globalists have effectively divided the American people more than any time in recent history (even more so than during the Vietnam war or Civil Rights movement). Perhaps this is part of the overall strategy.

There is so much strangeness inside the Beltway these days that now it seems that nearly anything is possible.

The U.S. has fallen so far that "Kid Rock" is considered a viable candidate for the Senate and "The Rock" may run for President?

Trump's continuous use of Twitter is an embarrassment using this to pressure Sessions to resign is infantile at best.

Trump said again he was frustrated that Sessions had recused himself from the federal investigation into possible collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia and said he would not have appointed him had he known he would do so.

Is he really serious ? This man is really the low of the low, I feel sorry and embarrassed for USA to have to carry on, in history book, from now that once he was the president.

Sessions was loyal to Trump so hopefully Trump utterly crucifies him in the press and on Twitter. 

The more he criticizes the less likely I think it is that Sessions will resign. Maybe Trump is only trying to light a fire under him for something, perhaps being slow on the Clinton email investigation ? That was mentioned in another tweet.

Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III may get ousted by the Trump/Kushner/Bannon families, but given his far right politics won't have to worry about finding another position. The NRA, KKK, Koch brothers and other rightists will quickly pick him up, pay him big bucks and put him back in the swamp.

I don't think Sessions is anything near far-right, a conservative, yes, but far-right....bit of a stretch.

Would these include reports saying Russia is back in Afghanistan, this time switching roles with the US and arming the Taliban to fight against the US?

Yeah, not like the last admin. getting involved in that infamous Fast and Furious scandal. Why, oh, why are the left so hypocritical always? Smh....

Republicans love to eat their own.

Not only the GOP, enough on that on the left as well.

I think we'll step back and just watch this one play out.

Sessions was loyal to Trump so hopefully Trump utterly crucifies him in the press and on Twitter. That would be fun to see, and quite frankly a just punishment for someone who hitches his wagon to a shady character like Trump. And right after Trump talks to the Boy Scouts about loyalty...heh. Awesome.

I didn't think it was that bad what Trump did at that rally. I don't get what the left (once again...sigh) are complaining about.

We also get the benefit of Trump coming off like the hot head, emotionally challenged man that he is. He'll criticize Sessions, then whine about a lot of things, tell the world he's the victim, then criticize Hillary. And I'm going to especially love watching Trump supporters start smearing Sessions on cue. They want to stay on that Trump train so bad they'll do pretty much anything.

Well, Trump has a lot of valid reasons to be frustrated, Washington is resistant to change, the establishment ONLY cares about itself and could give a damn about the rest of us and the country and to have a man trying to break those chains regardless of is imperfections is just lunacy. If I were a lib, I would worry about how to stay relevant and how to get out of the wilderness, good luck to them all.

Trump is looking for lackeys. That's how it is in private business - everybody has to be loyal to the boss, first and foremost.

But the Federal Government is different. Public officials have to be loyal to the Constitution first and foremost, then to their constituents who voted them into office - the President is not necessarily their boss.

Without a single shot fired across his bow by either a Democrat or Republican, Sessions voluntarily surrendered by recusing himself from the Russia/Trump investigation. What a bonehead move!

If in fact there was collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign, what are the allegations and what evidence has been discovered/uncovered to prove that a crime was committed and who was the crime against? Cite the law which was broken.

Sessions was persuaded by Steve Bannon to back Trump in the 2016 campaign. Although Sessions was reluctant at first (imagine why), Bannon convinced him that Trump could harness the sentiments of far right nationalists like himself and become a president who would bring to fruition an agenda that Sessions had been dreaming of for decades. It seems to me that Sessions is now probably having second thoughts about Trump's ability to meet much of that agenda. Sessions recused himself because he didn't think it would be worth destroying his whole career and legacy just to protect an idiot like Trump.

*@ptown Would these include reports saying Russia is back in Afghanistan, this time switching roles with the US and arming the Taliban to fight against the US?*

@bass Yeah, not like the last admin. getting involved in that infamous Fast and Furious scandal. Why, oh, why are the left so hypocritical always? Smh....

I know you've said before how much you admire Putin, so are you now saying it's OK for Russia to arm the Taliban to fight the US in Afghanistan because Obama?

Absolutely hilarious. Sessions is a stupid moron TBH, he should be resigning immediately after taking such a humiliation like this. I have no idea how he goes home to his wife with a straight face every night after enduring such embarrassing violation from behind. Too pathetic to even acknowledge as a coward. This is the level of the Repub today

At a news conference last Thursday, Sessions said he loved his job and planned to stay in it "as long as that is appropriate."

The Alabama tick has burrowed deep and will not let go. Sessions' policies are archaic and irrational. I will be happy to see him go.

However, Trump will further alienate the legislature (in particular the Senate) by firing Sessions or by forcing him to resign. Furthermore, it will be difficult to find another person willing to be on the firing line when Trump's ego is hurt.

The only goal in Trump firing Sessions would be to appoint an AG who would be willing to fire Mueller. The Senate is not going to freely allow that to happen.

So, no sneaky holiday appointments while the Senate is in recess. The Senate will ensure it is sufficiently active to prevent that from happening, and any AG nominated with get fully scrutinized by the Senate. Even if Trump appoints a new AG who then fires Mueller, the legislature will then appoint Mueller or another special prosecutor.

It all points out how stupid and thin-skinned Trump is.

Republicans have little to show for Trump's first six months in office.

GoP is accomplishing what they have been accomplishing for years, NOthing.

Yeah, not like the last admin. getting involved in that infamous Fast and Furious scandal. Why, oh, why are the left so hypocritical always? Smh....

Hardly equivalent are relevant to a political position. The Fast and Furious scandal was another scandal that stands on its own. Just like the Iran-Contra scandal. A bunch of cowboys trying to do things under the table. I no way was any of those scandals right. Benghazi, on the other hand, was obviously only a lefty scandal because it was trumped up by the right. It was caused by poor planning by the CIA that ended in tragedy.

Bass' playbook, point left as a justification for the absurd positions of his "team." Don't acknowledge the absurdity of your "team."

In this case, Trump is giving Russia a pass on arming the Taliban????? You are giving Russia and by his improved relationship with them you are giving Trump a pass on this too, because he is on your team???

Arming the Taliban is what to expect from enemies. I am sure vets are particularly disturbed by this. I certainly am.

Both trump & sessions are bad for the US, but this is kind of HILARIOUS watching trump being the elephant in the china shop LOL!!!

I wonder of a republican party mutiny might be in the cards.

This ""presidency"" is so far beyond insanity words simply cant do justice to this ""administration""  incompetents all round & yeah the nepotism is just evil, may the pardons begin!!

@Clayton

If in fact there was collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign, what are the allegations and what evidence has been discovered/uncovered to prove that a crime was committed and who was the crime against? Cite the law which was broken.

Allegation - The Trump campaign colluded with a foreign adversary (the Russian government) to win the Presidency. The Russian government was "very aggressive and brazen" (roughly quoted from Director Comey) in its efforts to tilt the public opinion towards Trump. To this end, they contacted and met in person with Trump campaign officials a number of times. Most of these meetings or contacts were not disclosed in a proper manner as is legally required.

Evidence - https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/884789839522140166

This came straight from Don Jr (so no fake news shenanigans). The subject line of that e-mail chain reads "Russia - Clinton - private and confidential". The sender says "This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr Trump.". Don Jr replies with "If it’s what you say, I love it, especially later in the summer.". The mail is also forwarded to Jared Kushner (adviser to the President), and Paul Manafort (campaign manager at the time). Both attend the meeting as well. Jared Kushner then conveniently forgets to mention the meeting on his SF-86 security clearance form (willful lying on this form is a federal offence, although prosecution is very rare due to difficulty in proving in intention to mislead). He later acknowledges the meeting, updates his SF-86 form 3 times adding more than 100 foreign contacts (thats a lot of people to forget ever meeting).

http://www.businessinsider.com/kushners-explanation-of-security-clearance-form-omissions-russia-meeting-prompt-skepticism-2017-7

Law - Section 30121 of Title 52 of federal campaign law, which deals with "contributions and donations by foreign nationals". "It is illegal for a foreign government or a foreign national to give something of value to a candidate or campaign.".

Dirt on an opponent is counted as "something of value". But don't take my word for it. Here is former judge Andrew Napolitano from the GOPs favorite Fox News - https://youtu.be/OroKp3Qx2lU?t=1m30s

Hope this clears it up.

Rally around a racist, eh?

To fire, or not to fire?

This will cause a backlash either way, so it will be fascinating to see what happens next in this train wreck of a government.

You now have CNN reporting that Sessions is under fire for being weak concerning Hillary Clinton's crimes. They actually wrote that exact phrase on the screen and kept it there for at least 10 minutes while they talked about how much everyone LOVES Sessions suddenly.

Everyone is now supporting Sessions against the supposed bully Trump, which will work out well when Sessions starts announcing investigations and indictments soon.

"A" racist means there's only one involved here.

Bass: Well, Trump has a lot of valid reasons to be frustrated

Do you think Sessions should go? I mean, he kind of left Trump out to dry, didn't he?

Washington is resistant to change, the establishment ONLY cares about itself and could give a damn about the rest of us and the country

Mike Pence is establishment and you praise the guy. I think you were even pretty excited thinking about him becoming President should something happen to Trump. Maybe you should take it easy on the anti-establishment protests.

and to have a man trying to break those chains regardless of is imperfections is just lunacy

Bernie Sanders wants to do it and he's not shady, sexist, or racist.

Actually, now I can see why the Right disqualifies him.

This is a bit cruel. Trump has only been a politician for 6 months and you can't expect him to to learn good political judgement, how to work with members of his own party, speak in comprehensible sentences or act with any sense of dignity in that short time.

I blame CNN for hindering his growth.

I blame CNN for hindering his growth.

Partially, but I'd also add the NY Times and the Washington Post. The Washington Post's owner Bezos is considerably richer than Trump. Trump thinks rich = smart. Using Trumpian logic, he probably thinks Bezos is smarter than him. Look for Trump to go after Bezos company Amazon to try to make Bezos less rich.

Hurting Amazon will hurt the American workers, but Trump's so far shown he cares less than one whit about American workers. Does anyone know if he and his family members are moving their overseas sweatshops back to the US, and if instead of continuing to invest in properties overseas they'll develop properties in the rust belt and other areas dealing with hard economic times?

Rally around a racist, eh?

To fire, or not to fire?

You keep saying that, but there is nothing that supports that Sessions is an all out racist. Now on the other hand, the left will constantly repeat this and try to peddle this without any facts to back it up.

Birtherism should be avoided like the flu and false racist charges should be as well.

This will cause a backlash either way, so it will be fascinating to see what happens next in this train wreck of a government.

At this point, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks, investigate as much as you want and keep it to the original suspicious allegations from what this whole thing is all about. Having 4 Heavy Democratic donors on an investigative case of a president they despise is a witch hunt in its purest form and I personally hope Trump gives Mueller the axe.

Do you think Sessions should go? I mean, he kind of left Trump out to dry, didn't he?

Yeah, he's not like Holder that would've shielded his buddy from Kryptonite.

Mike Pence is establishment and you praise the guy.

If you could get Trump out (hypothetically speaking) then I wouldn't have much of a choice, but at least he's a real conservative and would be a lot tougher on many of the issues while continuing Trump's policies, so either way, I'm good.

I think you were even pretty excited thinking about him becoming President should something happen to Trump. Maybe you should take it easy on the anti-establishment protests.

No, when you don't have a lot choices, you take what you can get, doesn't mean, I have to love it, but I can deal with it in a very positive way.

Trump failed to invite Sessions, a former Eagle Scout, along with other former scouts in his cabinet to his speech at the National Scout Jamboree, just as he failed to invite his now-resigned press secretary, Spicer, a devout Catholic, on his trip to the Vatican.

Word has it that an increasing number of GOP congresspeople are actively questioning Trump's mental health (a hot mic incident yesterday captured two senators discussing this issue). Whatever happens with the Russian collusion investigation or related issues regarding Trump and his family's wealth, his mental condition in itself is grounds for removal.

I think it's going to be really surprising how this all turns out. The ex head of DNC's favorite IT guy has been arrested for bank fraud. I think he might have a few things to say about things. I predict this is how the end begins.

Remember, Mueller can investigate anything he wants to wherever it leads, right?

so either way, I'm good.

Right. That was actually my point.

Remember, Mueller can investigate anything he wants to wherever it leads, right?

As he should. If something illegal has been done it should be dealt with.

Word has it that the Dems will use a filibuster threat to keep the Senate in pro forma session over their summer break to block Trump from firing Sessions and making a recess appointment. Kinda ironic: A session for Sessions.

You keep saying that, but there is nothing that supports that Sessions is an all out racist. Now on the other hand, the left will constantly repeat this and try to peddle this without any facts to back it up.

Like giving meaningless stats without any sources or citations?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeff-sessions-is-normalizing-racism-in-america_us_58fd4950e4b0f02c3870ebef

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/04/21/hawaii_attorney_general_blasts_sessions_racist_hawaii_remarks.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/democrats-jeff-sessions-appointment-two-hour-rule-chuck-schumer-a7555931.html

Unless something is manufactured in the next 4 hours we will have to hear about Sessions for one more day then it will all go away.

MSM needs something to allow them to distract from the arrest of the DNC IT guy by saying something else is "more important".

Unless something is manufactured in the next 4 hours we will have to hear about Sessions for one more day then it will all go away.

My money would be in it being pushed out of the news by the latest person caught out in lies, a rancid barrage of trash from Trump after watching Fox and Friends or Trump going off script and flinging his feces around.

Blacklabel: MSM needs something to allow them to distract from the arrest of the DNC IT guy by saying something else is "more important".

I think your mistake is thinking that you have the master list of what should be important news, and when news outlets don't follow whatever script you have in your head then you make accusations or collusion or corruption.

Can you tell us precisely the exact amount of coverage and intensity is appropriate for a President being investigated by the Senate, House, FBI, and a Special Council? One who has lost his several people in his cabinet due to lies and corruption, one who has been caught lying repeatedly about contacts with people they are being investigated for, one who fired the head of the FBI and might fire his own AG?

Because so far you've come here and criticized 100% of the stories just for existing, and the fact they exist is some kind of indictment of the media overall. Then you give your list of things that should be written in place of the Trump coverage (always Clinton, Comey, Rice, Obama, CNN) as if you know what's good for me and everyone else to read.

Thanks, but no thanks.

All media outlets lean in a particular direction. They are going to report on stories that are important to their readers. That's why Fox News did live break-ins to give viewers "bombshell updates" to the Benghazi investigation for 4 straight years, but reporting on an ongoing investigation into Trump gets pushed to the bottom with "nothingburger" comments and endless whining about this (never-ending!!!) 6-month investigation.

So black, you aren't the News Czar of the world. You don't get to dictate which stories the media covers and start handing out accusations when they don't fall in line with your level of interest. And some of your accusations are flat out crazy anyway, like saying the NYT and HuffPo coordinate with one taking the lead with fake news while the other lays low as if they're deciding these things on conference calls. Just really out there.

One thing is for sure -- both Beauregard and FDT must go. Fortunately, that WILL happen -- and soon!

Dodgy Don wants to fire everyone before he himself gets fired. Does he really believe he can keep his job as a public servant based on his absolutely pathetic performance so far? Come on America, you're better than that, aren't you?

Trump is playing all the lazy politicians as fools. He has emboldened Sessions to take more chances. He is draining the swamp and because the swamp is so dirty he is taking drastic measures for these drastic times. Jeff Sessions plans to announce criminal leak investigations in coming days.....Stayed tuned folks