House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Thursday he is not calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from any probe into Russia’s interference in the election.
McCarthy suggested on NBC that Sessions should remove himself from any probe related to Russia.
“I think [to ensure] the trust of the American people, you recuse yourself in these situations,” McCarthy told NBC News.
“I’m not calling on [AG Sessions] to recuse himself.” –@GOPLeader pic.twitter.com/5o5YYlpB0O
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) March 2, 2017
But mid-morning on Fox News, McCarthy said those comments should not have been seen as a call for Sessions to recuse himself.
“I’m not calling on him to recuse himself,” McCarthy said. “I was asked on ‘Morning Joe’ if he needs to recuse himself as going forward. And as you just heard, Attorney General Sessions said he would recuse himself going forward, appropriate. And that’s all my answer was.”
With McCarthy’s clarification, only a handful of Republicans have called on Sessions to remove himself from any probe into Russia’s election-related activities.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said Sessions should recuse himself, as has Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
