(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) has released the following statement regarding Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ communications with Russian officials:

“Attorney General Jeff Sessions met with and communicated with the Russian Ambassador, who has been described by experts as Russia’s top spy and top spy recruiter. Sessions then prevaricated about it, volunteering a false statement under oath before Congress.

These actions are unacceptable for any government official, especially the top law enforcement official in the land. Sessions should immediately recuse himself from the Department of Justice investigation of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Then Sessions must resign as Attorney General, or he must be removed by the President.

Sessions’ alarming conflict of interest and startling failure to tell the truth to his own colleagues in Congress make him completely unqualified to continue as the nation’s top law enforcement official. We need an Attorney General who will protect our democracy, enforce civil rights, and defend the rule of law. Sessions has disqualified himself.”

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Congressman Jamie Raskin represents Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, which includes Montgomery, Frederick, and Carroll counties. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and the Committee on House Administration. Raskin is the Freshman Representative on the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, the Congressional Progressive Caucus Vice Chair and Liaison to New Members, and a Senior Whip for the House Democratic Caucus. He has been a constitutional law professor for 25 years.