2016 ELECTION/FBI/GOP/JEFF SESSIONS/RUSSIA/SPYGATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A senior Republican congressman disputed President Donald Trump’s claim that ‘spies’ infiltrated his 2016 campaign, saying that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was conducting a legitimate probe of Russian election meddling. Rep. Trey Gowdy (R., S.C.), who heads the House oversight committee, also said he understood Mr. Trump’s frustration with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from the Russia investigation based on his involvement in the Trump campaign. Had Mr. Trump known earlier that Mr. Sessions planned to recuse himself, the president could have chosen a different attorney general, Mr. Gowdy said in an interview on CBS. The president has long complained about Mr. Sessions’ recusal and has said Mr. Sessions should have told the White House he would take that stance before he was nominated. Mr. Sessions announced his recusal in March 2017 without first informing the president, after new details emerged about contacts between Mr. Sessions and Russian officials.”
-Peter Nicholas and Sadie Gurman, “GOP Lawmaker Disputes Trump Claim of Campaign ‘Spies’,” The Wall Street Journal, May 30, 2018 5:07 pm