President Trump taunted Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday and called on him to release unredacted documents related to the Russia and Hillary Clinton investigations.
The president accused Mr. Sessions of having a “double standard” for giving jail time to convicted NSA leaker Reality Winner but not Hillary Clinton.
Ms. Winner was sentenced to more than five years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to leaking classified information.
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
Mr. Trump also quoted a statement Mr. Sessions made Thursday and called on his attorney general to investigate Democrat corruption. The Justice Department should release unredacted documents, he said.
“Come on Jeff, you can do it, the country is waiting!” the president tweeted.
“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
“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
Friday’s tweet storm is a continuation of the criticisms Mr. Trump voiced about Mr. Sessions and the Justice Department on Thursday during an interview with Fox News.
Mr. Sessions became a target of Mr. Trump’s ire after recusing himself from the Mueller investigation.
“I put in an attorney general that never took control of the Justice Department, Jeff Sessions,” Mr. Trump said. “It’s sort of an incredible thing.”
The president gave a litany of complaints about the Justice Department and accused it of giving special treatment to Democrats. He specifically highlighted members of the Hillary Clinton campaign and former FBI agent Peter Strzok as examples of a double standard.
“When everybody sees what’s going on in the Justice Department, I always put ’justice’ now with quotes,” he said.
Mr. Sessions fired back Thursday afternoon with a statement o his own.
“I took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in, which is why we have had unprecedented success at effectuating the President’s agenda,” Mr. Sessions said.
The attorney general made it clear that his DOJ would not be swayed by the current political atmosphere.
“While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations,” Mr. Sessions said. “I demand the highest standards, and where they are not met, I take action.”
Mr. Trump said Mr. Sessions was picked to be attorney general only out of loyalty.
“He took the job, and then he said I’m going to recuse myself. I said what kind of a man is this?” Mr. Trump said.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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