Politics

Meadows calls on Sessions to plug leaks or resign

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows chairs the House Freedom Caucus [FILE PHOTO]

By Bill Moss, Published: January 4, 2018

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, the 11th District Republican and chair of the conservative Freedom Caucus in the House, is blaming Attorney General Jeff Sessions for failing to contain leaks from the Justice Department about the Russia collusion probe and suggesting Sessions should resign if he can't "stop further violations."

Meadows, the third-term representative who has a national platform of the Tea Party-oriented Freedom Caucus,  wrote an op-ed jointly with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the first Freedom Caucus chairman, that was published today by the Washington Examiner. Meadows and Jordan wrote that "six different investigations spent on the collusion narrative" have produced nothing. "... Through all of that, there is zero (yes, zero) evidence of collusion," they said.

Yet, what they describe as unlawful leaks from investigators or Justice Department officials fuel continuing coverage of the story.

The second problem deals with a recurring issue that must be addressed immediately.

"The alarming number of FBI agents and DOJ officials sharing information with reporters is in clear violation of the investigative standards that Americans expect and should demand. How would New York Times reporters know any of this information when the FBI and DOJ are prohibited from talking about ongoing investigations? How many FBI agents and DOJ officials have illegally discussed aspects of an ongoing investigation with reporters? When will it stop?"

They then turn to the top, blaming Sessions for not finding a way to plug the leaks, saying it appears "he has no control at all of the premier law enforcement agency in the world. It is time for Sessions to start managing in a spirit of transparency to bring all of this improper behavior to light and stop further violations. If Sessions can't address this issue immediately, then we have one final question needing an answer: When is it time for a new attorney general?

"Sadly, it seems the answer is now."