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Trump Attacks Sessions Over Handling of Surveillance Abuse Allegations Trump Attacks Sessions Over Handling of Surveillance Abuse Allegations
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President Trump criticized his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, on Wednesday and called him “DISGRACEFUL” after Mr. Sessions indicated that the Justice Department’s watchdog would look into accusations of potential abuse of surveillance laws rather than the agency’s own lawyers.WASHINGTON — President Trump criticized his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, on Wednesday and called him “DISGRACEFUL” after Mr. Sessions indicated that the Justice Department’s watchdog would look into accusations of potential abuse of surveillance laws rather than the agency’s own lawyers.
The tweet was the latest example of Mr. Trump publicly scolding Mr. Sessions and wading into Justice Department investigations. Though previous presidents have allowed law enforcement a large degree of independence to keep from influencing their inquiries, Mr. Trump has consistently called for investigations into his political rivals. In a 43-word tweet, Mr. Trump scolded the attorney general, belittled the role of the Justice Department’s independent watchdog and pressured the agency to speed up its investigations.
Republicans have accused Justice Department and F.B.I. officials of abusing their powers by surveilling a former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page, in the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and whether Moscow coordinated with Trump associates. Law enforcement officials were granted permission to spy on Mr. Page from the secretive court that issues warrants under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The tweet was the latest example of Mr. Trump publicly excoriating Mr. Sessions and wading into Justice Department investigations. Though previous presidents have allowed law enforcement a large degree of independence to keep from influencing their inquiries, Mr. Trump has consistently called for investigations into his political rivals and he has criticized Mr. Sessions for not being more aggressive.
Mr. Sessions said on Tuesday that he referred those concerns to the department’s inspector general, who is charged with investigating possible agency abuses. But he stopped short of announcing that a fresh inquiry had begun. It was not immediately clear what prompted the president’s outrage over Mr. Sessions, who last year recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible coordination with Trump associates.
Mr. Sessions has recused himself from the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. The attorney general, one of Mr. Trump’s earliest supporters in his election campaign, has been a regular target of the president, who has criticized Mr. Sessions for his recusal — the first in a series of steps that led to the appointment of an independent special counsel to handle the ongoing Russia investigation.
“We believe the Department of Justice must adhere to the high standards in the FISA court,” Mr. Sessions said in response to a reporter’s question about the allegations made by Republicans. “I think that’s just the appropriate thing; the inspector general will take that as one of the matters he’ll deal with.” Republicans have accused Justice Department and F.B.I. officials of abusing their powers by surveilling a former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page, during the course of an investigation into Russian meddling. As part of that investigation, law enforcement officials were granted permission to spy on Mr. Page from the secretive court that issues warrants under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The Republican accusations were laid out in a memo by House Intelligence Committee staffers that was rebutted by the panel’s Democrats. Mr. Sessions suggested on Tuesday that the department’s inspector general will look into the Republican concerns but stopped short of saying that a fresh inquiry was underway.
The Justice Department declined to comment. “We believe the Department of Justice must adhere to the high standards in the FISA court,” Mr. Sessions said in response to a reporter’s question on Tuesday about the allegations made by Republicans. “I think that’s just the appropriate thing; the inspector general will take that as one of the matters he’ll deal with.”
Shortly after the president’s tweet, Mr. Trump and Mr. Sessions stood just a few yards from each other at the memorial service for the Rev. Billy Graham, who died last week. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
The Republican accusations that Mr. Sessions spoke of on Tuesday were laid out in a memo by House Intelligence Committee staffers that was rebutted by the panel’s Democrats.
Mr. Sessions first addressed the Justice Department’s response to the Republican memo on Feb. 2, when the document was released.
“Congress has made inquiries concerning an issue of great importance for the country and concerns have been raised about the Department’s performance. I have great confidence in the men and women of this Department. But no Department is perfect,” Mr. Sessions said in the statement. “Accordingly, I will forward to appropriate D.O.J. components all information I receive from Congress regarding this. I am determined that we will fully and fairly ascertain the truth.”
In his tweet on Wednesday, Mr. Trump also slammed the department’s inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, for taking so long to conclude his investigation into the former F.B.I. director’s handling of the bureau’s inquiry of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. That inspector general investigation is expected to conclude this year with some harsh findings about senior Justice Department and F.B.I. officials in the Obama administration.
In his tweet, Mr. Trump appeared to question Mr. Horowitz’s objectivity because he was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
“Isn’t the I.G. an Obama guy?” Mr. Trump said.
Representative Trey Gowdy, a Republican from South Carolina and chairman of the House Oversight Committee, defended Mr. Horowitz on Wednesday and said he has been “fair, fact centric, and appropriately confidential with his work.”
“I have complete confidence in him and hope he is given the time, the resources and the independence to complete his work,” Mr. Gowdy said.
Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, also expressed his support for Mr. Horowitz. Mr. Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the Senate swiftly approved Mr. Horowitz’s appointment, a sign of support from both Republicans and Democrats.