1. Attorney General Sessions Recuses From the Russia Investigation In late February 2017, the Department of Justice began an internal analysis of whether Sessions should recuse from the Russia investigation based on his 273 role in the 2016 Trump Campaign. On March 1, 2017, the press reported that, in his January confirmation hearing to become Attorney General, Senator Sessions had not disclosed two meetings he had with Russian Ambassador Kislyak before the presidential election, leading to congressional calls for Sessions to recuse or for a special counsel to investigate Russia’s interference in 274 the presidential election. Also on March 1, the President called Comey and said he wanted to check in 275 and see how Comey was doing. According to an email Comey sent to his chief of staff after the call, the President “talked about Sessions a bit,” said that he had heard Comey was “doing great,” and said that he hoped Comey would 276 come by to say hello when he was at the White House. Comey interpreted the call as an effort by the President to “pull [him] in,” but he did not perceive the call as an attempt by the President to find out what Comey was doing with 277 the Flynn investigation. The next morning, the President called McGahn and urged him to contact 278 Sessions to tell him not to recuse himself from the Russia investigation. McGahn understood the President to be concerned that a recusal would make Sessions look guilty for omitting details in his confirmation hearing; leave the President unprotected from an investigation that could hobble the presidency and derail his policy objectives; and detract from favorable press coverage of a Presidential Address to Congress the President had delivered earlier in the 279 week. McGahn reached out to Sessions and reported that the President was 280 not happy about the possibility of recusal. Sessions replied that he intended 281 to follow the rules on recusal. McGahn reported back to the President about the call with Sessions, and the President reiterated that he did not want Sessions 282 to recuse. Throughout the day, McGahn continued trying on behalf of the President to avert Session’s recusal by speaking to Session’s personal counsel, Session’s chief of staff, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and by 283 contacting Sessions himself two more times. Sessions recalled that other