Trump responds to Sessions speaking out: "Come on Jeff"
President Trump publicly pressured Attorney General Jeff Sessions to "look into all of the corruption" of his adversaries Friday morning, after Sessions issued a rare statement Thursday saying the Justice Department will "not be improperly influenced by political considerations." Sessions' statement Thursday appeared to be a direct response to Mr. Trump's claim on Fox & Friends Thursday that Sessions "never took control" of the DOJ.
Mr. Trump has long pressured his attorney general — in a very public way on Twitter — to investigate Hillary Clinton and current and former top Justice Department officials he dislikes. But those urgings have intensified in recent days, as many in the president's former circle face charges. On Tuesday, former longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance law and claimed the president directed him to take the actions to do so. Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts related to bank fraud.
"'Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations,'" Mr. Trump tweeted Friday morning, quoting a part of Sessions' statement Thursday. "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......"
“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......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
"....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," the president said in a follow-up tweet. "Open up the papers & documents without redaction? Come on Jeff, you can do it, the country is waiting!"
....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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
The president also lamented that Hillary Clinton is free, while NSA leaker Reality Winner was sentenced to more than five years in prison on Thursday.
"'Ex-NSA contractor to spend 63 months in jail over 'classified" information,'" the president tweeted, although it's unclear exactly what he was quoting. 'Gee, this is "small potatoes' compared to what Hillary Clinton did! So unfair Jeff, Double Standard."
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.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018
This is a developing story and will be updated.