Trump taunts Sessions: 'Come on Jeff, you can do it!'

President Donald Trump taunted Attorney General Jeff Sessions Friday morning, demanding he look into corruption on the "other side," like Hillary Clinton's private email server and "Russian collusion by Dems." A day earlier, the president was critical of Sessions in an interview that aired on "Fox and Friends." He blasted the attorney general for recusing himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, and said Sessions did not "take control" of the Justice Department. Sessions gave a rare rebuttal to Trump's criticism, saying “the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political consideration." By Friday morning, Trump had responded to Sessions. "'Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.' Jeff, this is GREAT, what everyone wants, so look into all of the corruption on the “other side” including deleted Emails, Comey lies & leaks, Mueller conflicts, McCabe, Strzok, Page, Ohr," Trump tweeted. "FISA abuse, Christopher Steele & his phony and corrupt Dossier, the Clinton Foundation, illegal surveillance of Trump Campaign, Russian collusion by Dems - and so much more. Open up the papers & documents without redaction? Come on Jeff, you can do it, the country is waiting!" Trump's tweets come just days after Mueller's investigation scored a victory on Tuesday. Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts of tax and bank fraud. On that same day Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in a Manhattan court to violating campaign finance laws at the direction of Trump. Early on in his tenure, Sessions recused himself from the Mueller investigation because he was so close to the Trump campaign. The president, who said he only gave Sessions a job because of his loyalty on the campaign, blasted the Department of Justice on another high-profile investigation on Friday morning. Former NSA contractor and leaker Reality Winner was sentenced to 63 months in prison on Thursday. "Ex-NSA contractor to spend 63 months in jail over 'classified' information. Gee, this is 'small potatoes' compared to what Hillary Clinton did! So unfair Jeff, Double Standard," Trump wrote in a tweet. Trump's shots at Sessions set off a frenzy among lawmakers on Thursday, with some saying the attorney general will likely be out of job after the midterm elections. “It’s apparent that after the midterms, he will make a change and choose someone to do what he wants done,” Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said in a phone call on Thursday. But other lawmakers warned against ousting Sessions, predicting a tense confirmation fight to approve the next nominee for attorney general. “Do we really want to go through that kind of confirmation fight? Is there anybody we can confirm? Our conference supports Jeff. Our members are behind him. At least that’s the message they’ve tried to convey to him," Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said on Thursday. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) added it would be "bad for the country" if Trump forces Sessions out of the administration. source: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/24/donald-trump-jeff-sessions-justice-department-tweets-795339 #Headlines by: smurray@politico.com (Stephanie Murray)

Original Post: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/24/donald-trump-jeff-sessions-justice-department-tweets-795339