Trump taunts Sessions, who pushes back
Compiled from news services
WASHINGTON— Harshly criticized yet again by his boss, Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday abandoned his usual stony silence and pushed back against President Donald Trump for saying Mr. Sessions’ response to Republican complaints about the FBI was “disgraceful.”
Mr. Sessions gave no suggestion he would step down in light of the charge made on Twitter and insisted he would “continue to discharge my duties with integrity and honor.”
Mr. Trump’s latest tirade stems from a comment Mr. Sessions made Tuesday, when he suggested the Justice Department’s inspector general will evaluate whether prosecutors and FBI agents wrongly obtained a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor the communications of a onetime Trump campaign aide.
Ga. teacher fires gun
ATLANTA— Asocial studies teacher barricaded himself inside a classroom at a Georgia high school Wednesday and fired a handgun, sending students running outside or hunkering down, authorities said.
No Dalton High School students were in the classroom when the teacher fired the weapon, and despite the chaotic lockdown and evacuation, the only injury was a student who hurt her ankle running away.
It wasn’t immediately clear why the teacher, 53year-old Jesse Randal Davidson, had the gun. Under questioning by detectives, he refused to discuss what led to the shooting.
Ga. gov. on Delta fight
ATLANTA— Georgia’s governor on Wednesday criticized the “unbecoming squabble” that has engulfed the state Capitol since fellow Republicans threatened to punish Delta Air Lines for cutting business ties with the National Rifle Association.
Gov. Nathan Deal, in his final year in office, broke his silence on the controversy during a news conference with an apparent jab at candidates running to succeed him. He said a tax overhaul bill caught up in the debate had been “put at risk by the types of antics that tend to plague election years.”
Mr. Deal did not name Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, a gubernatorial contender who tweeted Monday that he would kill a proposed tax break on jet fuel as retribution after Atlanta-based Delta said it would no longer offer discounted fares to NRAmembers.
After threedays of national headlines, Mr. Deal soughtto assuage anyone whomight doubt Georgia’s business-friendly reputation.
Also in the nation ...
Christine Bauserman, an Interior Department special assistant, resigned Wednesday after a search of her social media accounts revealed that she routinely shared conspiracy theories, false statements and racially tinged comments about Muslims and African-Americans. ... Scott Blackmun resigned as chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee on Wednesday, stepping aside so he can tackle his worsening bout with prostate cancer and to allow the federation to move forward under new leadership to address the sex-abuse scandal that has rocked gymnastics and other sports. ... A day after Papa John’s said it was ending its sponsorship deal with the league, Roger Goodell announced Wednesday that Pizza Hut has stepped in as the new official pizza of the NFL. ... A top immigration official said Wednesday that about 800 people living illegally in Northern California were able to avoid arrest because of a weekend warning that Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf put on Twitter.