Sessions Saw No Red Flags During Michael Flynn’s Own Scandal

Sen. Claire McCaskill called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign for failing to disclose during his Senate confirmation hearing that as a senator he met twice with the Russian ambassador in 2016. U.S Attorney General Jeff Sessions arrives to attend a speech by President Donald Trump at a joint session of Congress in Washington , February 28. But his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort , has reportedly been investigated for contact with Russian Federation, along with other top Trump associates, and top Trump adviser Michael Flynn already had to resign his position as national security advisor for holding conversations with Kislyak between the election and inauguration.

Ap Fact Check: McCaskill wrong about contacts with Russian

In this June 23, 2016 file photo, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. McCaskill was one of many Democrats taking umbrage Thursday, March 2, 2017, at the revelation that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had twice met with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during last year’s presidential campaign, during a furor over that country’s alleged interference in the election, and misled his colleagues about it during his confirmation hearing.

Sessions Recuses

A helpful WaPo timeline is here. The second in command, Dana Boente is presumably in charge of deciding whether to appoint a Special Counsel.

Sanders under rising pressure to form thir…

Democratic Party insiders say efforts to draft Sen. Bernard Sanders to launch a political party are foolish, doomed to fail and could do more to hurt than help the progressive cause. The pressure on Mr. Sanders to strike out on his own is intensifying now that former Labor Secretary Tom Perez was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee , overcoming a stiff challenge from Rep. Keith Ellison and progressive activists who say the party ‘s primary race last year was rigged against the Vermont independent.

Democrats edgy amid an outcry over town halls

Senator Charles Schumer answers questions from members of the media at Hudson Valley Community College on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. Senator Charles Schumer answers questions from members of the media at Hudson Valley Community College on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, in Troy, N.Y. FILE – In this Jan. 19, 2017 file photo, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Democrats facing re-election are skipping out on town halls

Only a few of the ten Democratic senators who are on the ballot in 2018 are hosting such town halls, which in other election cycles were routine, the Associated Press reported . “Seems to me that all these members of Congress are afraid to face their constituents,” Hillary Shields, a member of Kansas City Indivisible, said after Sen. Claire McCaskill declined the group’s invitation to attend a town hall.

The Latest: Panel vote on budget director delayed

The top Democrat on a Senate panel responsible for advancing President Donald Trump’s pick to head the White House budget office says she needs time to examine the results of a routine FBI investigation before she can vote on Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s nomination. Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill says she gained access to Mulvaney’s FBI file just a half-hour before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee vote Wednesday morning.

Outside groups set tactics to put Trump pick on Supreme Court

Conservative groups are finalizing their strategy for a multimillion-dollar campaign to help get President Trump ‘s Supreme Court nominee confirmed. The Judicial Crisis Network is spearheading the effort with plans to spend $10 million on what the groups have dubbed “the most robust operation in the history of confirmation battles.”

Missouri senators renew effort to get Delta Queen cruising

Missouri’s U.S. senators are renewing efforts to get the legendary riverboat the Delta Queen cruising again on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Legislation filed this past week by Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill and co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Roy Blunt would reinstate an exemption for the Delta Queen to a federal law that prohibits overnight excursions on wooden vessels.

Backpage execs refuse to testify at sex-trafficking hearing

Executives at the advertising website Backpage.com refused to testify before Congress Tuesday following a Senate report that accuses the site of systematically editing its “adult” ads to remove words that indicate sex trafficking. Four top executives and the company’s lawyer told a Senate subcommittee they were invoking their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

Backpage execs refuse to testify at sex-trafficking hearing

From left, Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer, former owner James Larkin, COO Andrew Padilla, and former owner Michael Lacey, are sworn-in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, prior to testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee hearing into Backpage.com knowing facilitation of online … (more)

Top intelligence official says Russia undoubtedly meddled in US election

The nation’s top intelligence official said Thursday that Russia undoubtedly interfered in America’s 2016 presidential election but stopped short of using the explosive description “an act of war,” telling lawmakers such a call isn’t within the purview of the U.S. intelligence community. In a joint report that roiled the presidential campaign last fall, the Homeland Security Department and the intelligence community said the U.S. was confident of foreign meddling, including Russian government hacking of Democratic emails.

Senators urge action to block drastic drug price hikes

Angered by skyrocketing drug prices, a pair of senators on Wednesday urged Congress to block companies from cornering the market on old, off-patent drugs. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., released findings from a year-long investigation into companies like Turing Pharmaceuticals, which generated national outrage last year after hiking the price of a life-saving anti-infection drug by more than 5,000 percent.