I have no idea whether Jeff Sessions had any inappropriate contact with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign. My gut tells me there’s probably nothing much here, but then again, my gut has been more like a Magic 8-Ball lately than a crystal ball. So who knows?
That said, I agree with David Corn that the most telling bit of Sessions’ testimony today was this:
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s covert operation to subvert the 2016 election: “Prior to [the president being inaugurated]—in the campaign up until through the transition—was there ever any meetings that [Trump] showed any concern or consideration or just inquisitive of what the Russians were doing and if they really had done it?”
Sessions replied, “I don’t recall any such conversation. I’m not sure I understood your question. Maybe I better listen again.”
….Manchin continued: “You were part of the national security team, so if [Trump] would’ve heard something about Russia with their capabilities or concern about what they could do to our election process. Was there ever any conversations concerning that whatsoever?”
Sessions answered, “I don’t recall it.”
Sessions never heard Trump show any interest in Russian hacking before the inauguration. James Comey never heard Trump show any interest in Russian hacking after the inauguration. If Donald Trump ever showed the slightest interest in a hostile state actor trying to subvert an American election, not a single person seems to remember it.
I dunno. It sure seems like the kind of thing the president of the United States ought to be upset about. I wonder why Trump isn’t?
