The Russian cloud hovering over the Trump White House engulfed Attorney General Jeff Sessions Thursday following revelations he failed to disclose pre-election meetings with the Kremlin's ambassador to Washington.
Pressure for Sessions to recuse himself from any involvement in an FBI probe into links between the Trump campaign and Moscow is becoming intense, as prominent Republicans break ranks with the administration.
President Donald Trump has not yet commented on Sessions. The White House learned from press reports Wednesday that Sessions had contacts with the Russian ambassador during the campaign, a senior administration official said.
Several Republicans, many of them increasingly uneasy about the implications of the evolving Russian drama, called on Sessions to recuse himself from any involvement in an FBI probe into ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow.
"Attorney General Sessions should recuse himself to ensure public confidence in the Justice Department's investigation," said Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who introduced Sessions at his confirmation hearing in January.
"I think the attorney general should further clarify his testimony. And I do think he should recuse himself," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
"Jeff Sessions is a former colleague and a friend, but I think it would be best for him & for the country to recuse himself from the DOJ Russia probe," said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, in a statement.
"Attorney General Sessions should recuse himself from any investigation into Russia," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-California, in a statement. "We need a clear-eyed view of what the Russians actually did so that all Americans can have faith in our institutions."
House Speaker Paul Ryan said Sessions should recuse himself if he's part of an ongoing probe.
"If he, himself, is the subject of an investigation, of course he would," Ryan told reporters Thursday. "But if he's not, I don't see any purpose or reason to doing this."
Democrats, sensing new vulnerabilities for the administration in the widening intrigue over alleged Russian interference in last year's presidential race, called on Sessions to resign, saying he lied in his Senate confirmation hearing.
The latest fast-moving developments dealt a fresh blow to the White House, abruptly ending President Donald Trump's victory lap after his well-received address to Congress.
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