memeorandum: Sessions was more than Trump surrogate in meetings with Russian envoy (Kevin Johnson/USA Today)

2:40 PM ET, March 2, 2017

Top Items:

Sessions met with Russian envoy twice last year, encounters he later did not disclose — Then-Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) spoke twice last year with Russia's ambassador to the United States, Justice Department officials said, encounters he did not disclose when asked about possible contacts between members …

Discussion: USA Today, Mother Jones, The Atlantic, Talking Points Memo, Vox, ThinkProgress, Mediaite, Breitbart, ABC News, The Nation, Raw Story, Politico, BuzzFeed, The Hill, Media Matters for America, Hit & Run, Daily Kos, The Guardian, Fox News Insider, Bloomberg, TheStreet.com, Power Line, WTVR-TV, Washington Free Beacon, Fox News, Washington Examiner, RedState, twitchy.com, Western Journalism, Right Wing Watch, The Daily Caller, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Business Insider, Reuters, Common Dreams, Mashable, NPR, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, The Week, The Mahablog, TheBlaze, IJR, Political Insider blog, BizPac Review, emptywheel, Shakesville, The Slot, The Gateway Pundit, Q13 FOX News, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air, CANNONFIRE, Daily Wire, Outside the Beltway, Gothamist, Hullabaloo, NBC News, Politicus USA, PinkNews, Townhall.com, AOL, Towleroad, CNN, Infowars, CBS San Francisco, FiveThirtyEight, Above the Law and Patterico's Pontifications

Alex Griswold / Mediaite:

Claire McCaskill Claims She'd Never Meet With Russian Ambassador, But Tweets Prove She Has — In a pointed tweet Thursday, Democratic Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill attacked Attorney General and her former Senate colleague Jeff Sessions for meeting with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 election …

Discussion: America Rising, Politico, Washington Post, RedState, Talking Points Memo, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Gateway Pundit, Business Insider, Liberty Unyielding, Geller Report, Raw Story, The Guardian, AOL and Washington Free Beacon

New York Times:

Obama Administration Rushed to Preserve Intelligence of Russian Election Hacking — WASHINGTON — In the Obama administration's last days, some White House officials scrambled to spread information about Russian efforts to undermine the presidential election — and about possible contacts between associates …

Discussion: Breitbart, Talking Points Memo, Washington Monthly, Shadowproof, Towleroad, The Moderate Voice, AOL, Daily Kos, Daily Wire, No More Mister Nice Blog, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Raw Story, BGR, Statistical Modeling …, Fox News Insider, Joe.My.God. and The Last Tradition

Wall Street Journal:

Donald Trump Jr. Was Likely Paid at Least $50,000 for Event Held by Hosts Allied With Russia on Syria — October appearance by son of then-candidate is one of string of contacts between members of the president's inner circle and individuals connected to Moscow

Discussion: Mediaite, Raw Story and Axios

Kevin Johnson / USA Today:

Sessions was more than Trump surrogate in meetings with Russian envoy — WASHINGTON — At the time Jeff Sessions met with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the midst of last year's bitter campaign, the Alabama senator was not only serving as a surrogate for candidate Donald …

Discussion: Daily Kos

Wall Street Journal:

Investigators Probed Jeff Sessions' Contacts With Russian Officials — Communications from the then-senator occurred during presidential campaign — WASHINGTON—U.S. investigators have examined contacts Attorney General Jeff Sessions had with Russian officials during the time he was …

Discussion: Townhall.com, Politico, Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, Washington Post, The Resurgent, The Hill, Mediaite, The Atlantic, Balloon Juice, Politicus USA, The Daily Caller and ThinkProgress

Richard W. Painter / New York Times:

Jeff Sessions Needs to Go — In the wake of Wednesday's revelation that Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke with Russia's ambassador to the United States while working with the Trump campaign, despite denying those contacts during his confirmation hearings, key Republican and Democratic lawmakers …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, Sunlight Foundation and CNN

NBC News:

Attorney General Jeff Sessions : ‘I Will Recuse Myself’ If Necessary — Attorney General Jeff Sessions denied meeting with Russian officials during the course of the presidential election to discuss the Trump campaign, he told NBC News in exclusive remarks early Thursday.

Discussion: Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, The Atlantic, New York Times, ThinkProgress, The Daily Banter, Liberty Unyielding, The Guardian, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Hill, Business Insider, Mediaite, Daily Kos, Raw Story, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Western Journalism, Media Matters for America and AOL

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:

Rep. Schiff accuses Comey of withholding information on Russia probe — The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday accused FBI Director James Comey of withholding crucial information about its probe into Russian interference in the election, and raised the prospect of subpoeanaing the agency.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs and Axios

John Hudson / Foreign Policy:

Trump Taps Putin Critic for Senior White House Position — The hiring of Brookings scholar Fiona Hill comes as the Trump administration comes under fire for contacts with Russian officials. — The Trump administration has offered a well-respected scholar and sober critic …

Discussion: Washington Post and New York Magazine

Mark Hensch / The Hill:

Sessions offers to recuse himself from Russia investigation — said early Thursday that he would be willing to recuse himself from any investigation of Russian involvement in the Trump campaign. — “I have said whenever it's appropriate, I will recuse myself,” he told NBC News.

Discussion: ABC News, New York Magazine, Politico, ThinkProgress, Washington Post, RedState, Hot Air and Common Dreams

CNN:
Sessions did not disclose meetings with Russian ambassador

Discussion: ABC News, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, The Atlantic, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, Breitbart, Business Insider, Vox, The Federalist, Mediaite, Political Wire, Fox News Insider, Washington Free Beacon and Politico

NBC News:
Sessions Met With Russian Ambassador but Didn't Mislead Senate: Spokeswoman

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Raw Story, Breitbart, The Hill, Sputnik International, NBC News and Fox News Insider

Louis Nelson / Politico:
McCarthy walks back suggestion that Sessions should recuse himself from Russia investigation

Discussion: ABC News, Washington Post, Business Insider, MSNBC and The Week

The Huffington Post:
Jeff Sessions Called For A Special Counsel After Loretta Lynch Met With Bill Clinton

Discussion: Washington Post, Daily Kos, Media Matters for America and Talking Points Memo

CNN:
Democrats call for Sessions to resign over meetings with Russian envoy, some Republicans calls for recusal

Discussion: Washington Post, Mother Jones, Axios, Talking Points Memo, The Nation, Power Line, Hot Air, Politico, TheBlaze and AOL

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Schumer calls for Sessions to resign

Discussion: Townhall.com, Common Dreams and Hot Air

Mother Jones:
Growing Chorus of Republicans Calls for Sessions to Recuse Himself From Russia Probe

Discussion: Washington Post, Raw Story, BuzzFeed, Talking Points Memo, Politicus USA and Fox17

Travis Gettys / Raw Story:
Morning Joe shreds Sessions: Why 'lie about something that you don't have to lie about?'

Discussion: Breitbart, Washington Post, Politico and Vox, more at Mediagazer »

ACLU:
ACLU Calls for Investigation Into Potential Perjury by Sessions

Discussion: Raw Story

Brooke Seipel / The Hill:
Bush's ethics lawyer on Sessions talks with Russia ambassador: ‘Good way to go to jail’

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Mediaite, Daily Kos, ABC News, Townhall.com and The Guardian

Brooke Seipel / The Hill:
Pelosi calls for Sessions's resignation

Discussion: ABC News, Politico, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, Townhall.com, Business Insider, The Guardian, BizPac Review, Talking Points Memo and Vox Popoli

Chuck Ross / The Daily Caller:
CONFIRMED: Obama Admin Sabotaged Trump's Transition To The White House

Discussion: Western Journalism

Paulina Firozi / The Hill:

Rand Paul blasts GOP for keeping ObamaCare bill in ‘secure location’ — (R-Ky.) on Thursday blasted House Republicans for keeping their ObamaCare repeal and replace legislation under wraps. — “I have been told that the House Obamacare bill is under lock & key, in a secure location …

Discussion: Bloomberg, Talking Points Memo, Fox17, The Slot and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Paul blocked from seizing GOP Obamacare bill

Discussion: Political Wire and Bloomberg

Sen. Ted Cruz / Politico:
The Right Way to Repeal Obamacare

Discussion: Hot Air

Leon Wagener / Daily Mail:

EXCLUSIVE: Barack Obama's close confidante Valerie Jarrett has moved into his new DC home, which is now the nerve center for their plan to mastermind the insurgency against President Trump — Obama's goal is to oust Trump from the presidency either by forcing his resignation or through his impeachment …

Discussion: Fox News, Western Journalism, Fox News Insider, Washington Free Beacon, FOX News Radio, The Resurgent, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Geller Report, The Gateway Pundit, BizPac Review, Althouse, Infowars, The Daily Caller, Hollywood Life, The Last Tradition and Instapundit

Josh Dawsey / Politico:

Trump's team nixed ethics course for White House staff — President Donald Trump's team rejected a course for senior White House staff, Cabinet nominees and other political appointees that would have provided training on leadership, ethics and management, according to documents obtained by POLITICO.

Discussion: Mediaite, Common Dreams, New York Magazine, Raw Story, RedState and AOL

The Huffington Post:

Authorities Arrest 22-Year-Old Dreamer After She Speaks To Media — “I feel like I am an American,” Daniela Vargas said. — WASHINGTON Federal immigration authorities arrested a 22-year-old woman in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday shortly after she spoke to the media about the detention of her family.

Discussion: Washington Post, Daily Kos, ThinkProgress, USA Today, CBS News, Fusion, twitchy.com and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Olivia Beavers / The Hill:

Obama to receive JFK award — Former President Obama will return to the national spotlight to accept the John F. Kennedy “Profile in Courage” Award on the 100th anniversary of Kennedy's birth. — Caroline Kennedy, Kennedy's daughter, and her son, Jack Schlossberg, will present the award to the 44th president this spring.

Discussion: RedState

Ruby Cramer / BuzzFeed:
Barack Obama Will Return To National Stage For Award Honoring JFK's 100th Birthday

Discussion: Mediaite

Amber Phillips / Washington Post:

Democratic congressman: Kellyanne Conway ‘really looked kind of familiar’ kneeling on Oval Office couch — On the list of things to say about any woman — let alone one of the most powerful women in Washington right now — well, this tops it. — At Wednesday's annual Washington Press Club …

Discussion: IJR, Western Journalism and AOL

Rene Stutzman / Orlando Sentinel:

Judge: Casey Anthony may have killed her child by accident — Former Circuit Judge Belvin Perry Jr. on Wednesday said he believes Casey Anthony may have killed her daughter by accident when she tried to quiet the child with chloroform and simply used too much.

Discussion: AOL and CBS Pittsburgh

Maura Dolan / Los Angeles Times:

Public officials can't shield government business by using personal email, state Supreme Court rules — (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) … California's highest court decided unanimously Thursday that government officials may be required to make public what they said about public business …

Discussion: Political Wire

Numbers / Pew Research Center:

Large Majorities See Checks and Balances, Right to Protest as Essential for Democracy — 77% say it would be ‘too risky’ to give presidents more power — Large majorities of the public, Republicans and Democrats alike, say open and fair elections and a system of governmental checks …