Stephen Colbert thinks Jeff Sessions has moved past recusing himself over Russia

Stephen Colbert laughs at Jeff Sessions' predicament on Russia
(Image credit: Late Show)

"You know how there's all this smoke about the idea that Trump and his folks colluded with the Russians to influence the election, and the Trump people are, like, 'There's nothing to see here'?" Stephen Colbert asked on Thursday's Late Show. "Well, I spy with my little eye the attorney general of the United States." He walked through the problems Jeff Sessions now faces, from charges that he lied under oath to Congress to the substance of his misleading comments: meetings with the Russian ambassador.

Sessions partially bowed to pressure Thursday afternoon and announced he'd recuse himself from any Justice Department or FBI investigation of Trump's campaign and Russia, but Colbert wasn't overly impressed. "You called yourself a campaign surrogate, then you lied under oath that you never met with the Russians, so you don't have to recuse yourself," he said, "because you've already [censored] yourself."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.