Trump taunts Sessions, but AG doesn’t keep quiet
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump renewed his verbal attacks on his attorney general Wednesday, describing as “disgraceful” his handling of Republican complaints that the FBI abused its surveillance power during the early stages of the Russia investigation.
Jeff Sessions, who rarely responds publicly to criticism from his boss, didn’t keep quiet this time and said the Justice Department he leads had acted appropriately.
“As long as I am the attorney general, I will continue to discharge my duties with integrity and honor, and this department will continue to do its work in a fair and impartial manner according to the law and Constitution,” Sessions said.
Sessions on Tuesday suggested that the department’s internal watchdog will evaluate whether prosecutors and agents wrongly obtained a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor the communications of a onetime Trump campaign associate. Sessions referred the allegations to the inspector general in response to pressure from congressional Republicans who, like Trump, have fumed about what they believe to be bias within the FBI.
The office has acknowledged receiving Sessions’ request but hasn’t said it’s investigating.
But that step by Sessions apparently was not enough to satisfy Trump, who has spent the past year berating the former Alabama senator who was the first member of the Senate to endorse Trump’s White House candidacy.
“Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse. Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc. Isn’t the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!”
Trump is angry that Sessions referred the allegations of Justice Department employee misconduct to the inspector general, but that’s exactly what that office is charged with doing. Its lawyers are part of the department and, contrary to Trump’s claims, can and often do refer matters for prosecution.
The office has been working on a separate review of the FBI’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation under former Director James Comey, but that report is not late.