Politics

Sen Chuck Schumer Says Sessions Was ‘In Dereliction Of His Duty,’ Calls For Resignation [VIDEO]

Chuck Schumer By John J. Meola - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43317804

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed calls from his colleagues to remove Attorney General Jeff Sessions from his post while appearing on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” Tuesday.

When asked if he thought Sessions’ testimony shed light on the Russia investigation, Schumer said, “No I think he raised more questions then he settled.”

Schumer compared Sessions’ testimony to that of former FBI director James Comey but claimed that Comey was truthful with nearly all his answers, while Sessions was deceptive and seemed to be hiding something.

“It seems the only time they don’t want to discuss their conversations with president Trump is when it’s about Russia,” he said. “And that has no factual basis, no legal basis and Sessions is in dereliction of his duty.”

Sessions’ absence at other congressional committee hearings is cause for concern and should be grounds for him to resign, said Schumer. “It seems he can’t do his job, and he ought to step down.”

Schumer’s comments come on the heels of two other Democratic senators calling for Sessions’ resignation. Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Ron Wyden of Oregon gave cable news interviews in which they called for Sessions to be fired or have him tender his resignation.

Maddow pressed Schumer for ways the Senate could force Sessions to answer certain questions, and Schumer cited contempt of Congress but concluded that it would take too long and be dragged out in the courts. He eventually admitted that there was no “clear-cut answer.”

Schumer closed by commenting on rumors that special prosecutor President Donald Trump is considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller, stating that it would plunge America into a constitutional crisis.

“That is just such a dereliction of the separation of powers. So against what the constitution is like,” he said.

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