Democrats are calling for Jeff Sessions to resign as attorney general after learning that he lied, during his confirmation hearing, about contact with Russian officials during the campaign. But while Republicans are predictably too partisan to go that far, some Republicans are beginning to call for the weak tea half-measure of Sessions recusing himself into investigations of contact between the Trump campaign and Russia. For his part, Sessions is dodging: he told NBC News exactly what he’d said earlier in the week. “I have said whenever it's appropriate, I will recuse myself. There's no doubt about that.” But no word from Sessions on whether he considers himself having lied about whether he met with the Russian ambassador as making it “appropriate” to recuse himself.
Sen. Lindsey Graham has been pressing for more serious investigation into Trump-Russia ties, so it’s not a huge surprise that he’s one of the first Republicans to suggest that there might be an issue with Sessions being in charge of such an investigation—and that a special prosecutor might be needed. Other Republicans are starting to join Graham on recusal, if not a special prosecutor:
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy also said Sessions should recuse himself, because “I just think for any investigation going forward, it would be easier.”
It’s progress to hear this from Republicans, but it’s not enough. Not nearly enough. This situation demands a special prosecutor—the step Lindsey Graham suggested—but it also demands Jeff Sessions’ resignation.