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Opinion: Sorry, Atty. Gen. Sessions, recusal isn’t enough

Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions concludes a news conference at the Justice Department where he announced that he would recuse himself from any current or future investigations into Russian ties to the Trump campaign.
(Michael Reynolds / EPA)
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To the editor: With the revelation that Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions met twice with Russia’s ambassador to the United States before the election, apparently contradicting his testimony during a Senate confirmation hearing, we need a special prosecutor now more than ever to investigate the degree to which President Trump’s people may have partaken of criminal acts leading up to Nov. 8. (“Jeff Sessions recuses himself from any investigation into Trump’s Russia ties. Better late than never,” editorial, March 3)

Until such an investigation is done, there remains some doubt as to the legitimacy of the present administration. Let the special prosecutor find that Trump was not in cahoots with the Russians; if that happens, I shall stand up in support of the president.

Larry Schwimmer, Imperial Beach

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To the editor: Few aspects of life compel us to action so much as objective, documented fact, separate from commentary or opinion.

Our attorney general testified under oath in the Senate during his confirmation hearing that he “did not have communications with the Russians.” In fact, Sessions met with “the Russians” twice in the past year, once in his Capitol Hill office, and once at the Republican National Convention.

Sessions may have committed a very serious offense, besides greatly reducing the credibility of his office, and I call on Trump and members of Congress to quickly fulfill their responsibility to compel Sessions to step down immediately. Independent of law regarding perjury, no person who lies under oath can be anywhere near the administration of law in the United States.

Sessions can no longer serve the people of the United States.

Richard Havenick, San Pedro

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To the editor: It is clear to any reasonable person who can understand the English language that Sessions was asked about campaign communications and answered it that way, specifically referring to being called a “surrogate” for Trump during the campaign. The written question also specifically asked about campaign contacts.

Unless anyone knows his two congressional conference-related contacts with Russians were about the campaign, which seems highly unlikely, he answered truthfully, and no reasonable person would call his answers deceptive.

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This is a non-story. The Democrats’ apoplexy over it, and the over-the-top media attention to it, demonstrates the lengths to which both are committed to destroying any chance for Trump to succeed. And Trump and his supporters are just the people to make that case and defeat that effort where it counts: at the ballot box and subscription desk.

Jeffrey C. Briggs, Hollywood

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To the editor: Of course Sessions should be investigated. Republican leaders are very reluctant to do their jobs, afraid of where the investigation will lead. Democrats can do very little since they are in the minority in both chambers and the White House is in GOP hands.

That’s why we need the press more than ever to investigate — a good reason to support a free press.

Domenico Maceri, San Luis Obispo

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