President Trump has little sympathy for former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who now faces a runoff election after failing to secure a majority of votes in Tuesday’s Alabama Senate primary.
Trump has a history of criticizing Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation that cast a shadow over much of Trump’s presidency before ultimately resulting in a lack of evidence that his campaign coordinated with Moscow in the 2016 election. Now, Trump is implying that Sessions deserves his current electoral struggles for not having the president’s back.
TIGHT ALABAMA GOP SENATE RACE SET FOR OVERTIME AS SESSIONS, TUBERVILLE HEAD TO RUNOFF
“This is what happens to someone who loyally gets appointed Attorney General of the United States & then doesn’t have the wisdom or courage to stare down & end the phony Russia Witch Hunt,” Trump tweeted, and included a link to a story about Sessions’ runoff against former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville. He added: “Recuses himself on FIRST DAY in office, and the Mueller Scam begins!”
Sessions recused himself due to the possibility of a perceived conflict of interest due to his connection to Trump’s 2016 campaign. Trump has often blamed him for allowing others to control the investigation, which led to the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel and years of speculation that it could threaten Trump’s presidency.
Trump had generally avoided commenting on the Alabama primary race where Sessions — looking to reclaim the seat he left to become attorney general — faced Tuberville, Rep. Bradley Byrne, and former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama Roy Moore. Now that it is down to Sessions and Tuberville, Trump is weighing in ahead of the runoff, scheduled to take place March 31.
Sessions, who held the Senate seat for 20 years, has been running on his record of being close to Trump, despite the president repeatedly knocking him in the past.
The winner of the runoff will move on to face Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who defeated Moore in a 2017 special election after Sessions joined Trump’s administration.
Fox News’ Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.
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