Maine Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree says U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions should resign for not disclosing during his confirmation hearing that he met with a Russian envoy prior to the election.
Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King reiterated his position that Sessions should recuse himself from an ongoing federal probe into Russian election meddling.
And for the first time, Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins joined a growing number of the GOP lawmakers saying Sessions should not be involved in the Russia probe.
Collins was essentially a character witness for Sessions during his confirmation hearing. She helped introduce him and she defended him against allegations of racism. She says Thursday that she still believes Sessions is a person of integrity.
“It is nevertheless important for the credibility of this very important investigation that there not be any question at all about the validity of the findings,” she says.
The findings, that is, about an FBI investigation that will not only explore Russian meddling in the election, but also whether there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials meddling in the election.
Sessions was an early Trump backer, joining the campaign in early 2016. He even warmed up the crowd for Trump’s October rally in Bangor. That relationship, and the fact that the FBI reports directly to Sessions, prompted Republicans and Democrats to call for a special prosecutor in the Russia probe.
King told Maine Public Radio Monday that he supports the move.
“He was a member of his campaign organization, he campaigned for him. I think he should recuse himself and prominent Republicans have said the same thing,” he says.
King was not available for an interview on Thursday, but he released a statement saying the new allegations against Sessions were “serious and troubling.”
King and Collins both say Sessions should correct and clarify his confirmation testimony. Sessions announced in a press conference that he plans to do just that. He denied that he discussed the campaign with the Russian ambassador. He also said that he would recuse himself.
In a written statement, Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin appeared to make a distinction between Sessions’ ability to oversee the Russian probe and one involving Sessions himself. If the attorney general himself is subject of an investigation, Poliquin’s statement read, he should recuse himself.
Pingree did not parse her words.
“It seems that he should recuse himself from the investigation, but more so I think he should step down from that position,” she says.
Pingree says Mainers — and Americans — are increasingly concerned about Russian ties to Trump and his associates. She says those concerns grow with every report that appears to connect a longtime American adversary with the newly sworn in president.
For her part, Collins says calls for Sessions’ resignation are premature. She says the FBI investigation, and a parallel probe by the Senate Intelligence Committee, should be completed before anyone jumps to conclusions.
