Trump attacks Sessions for prosecuting 'two very popular Republican Congressmen'

Suggestion independent Justice Department should have taken mid-term elections into account prompts 'banana republic' backlash

Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, apparently for prosecuting two Republican politicians ahead of November’s mid-term elections.

The US president mocked Mr Sessions for putting “two easy wins [...] in doubt” two weeks after the Department of Justice announced charges against congressmen Duncan Hunter of California and Chris Collins of New York, though he did not reference the two men directly.

Mr Trump has frequently and publicly attacked his attorney general after the former Alabama senator recused himself from oversight of the federal probe into alleged Russian election meddling and claims of collusion with Trump associates.

Late on Monday, he tweeted: “Two long running, Obama era, investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department. Two easy wins now in doubt because there is not enough time. Good job Jeff......”

He added: “....The Democrats, none of whom voted for Jeff Sessions, must love him now.”

The president provoked a wave of criticism for the message’s assault on the Justice Department’s independence.

Senator Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said: “The United States is not some banana republic with a two-tiered system of justice – one for the majority party and one for the minority party.

“These two men have been charged with crimes because of evidence, not because of who the president was when the investigations began. Instead of commenting on ongoing investigations and prosecutions, the job of the president of the United States is to defend the constitution and protect the impartial administration of justice.”

Mr Trump has frequently suggested he views Justice less as a law enforcement agency and more as a department that is supposed to do his personal and political bidding.

Investigators are never supposed to take into account the political affiliations of the people involved in their cases.

Mr Hunter has been accused of using campaign funds for personal expenses and Mr Collins faces charges of insider trading. Both have protested their innocence.

The Hunter investigation began in June 2016, according to the indictment. The indictment of Mr Collins lays out behaviour from 2017. He was also under investigation by congressional ethics officials.

Mr Hunter has not exited his race, while Mr Collins ended his re-election bid days after his indictment. Both seats appear likely to remain in GOP hands, but the charges have raised Democratic hopes.

Preet Bharara, the former US attorney, tweeted that “Chris Collins was not an Obama era investigation. FYI”, adding that “I have some basis to know this obviously”.

Republican senator Jeff Flake, who has previously clashed with Mr Trump and announced he would not seek re-election this year, said the billionaire’s tweet was “not the conduct of a President committed to defending and upholding the constitution, but rather a President looking to use the Department of Justice to settle political scores”.

Ted Lieu, a Democratic congressman from California, claimed Mr Trump’s attempts to pressure Mr Sessions “to not proceed with the cases” amounted to “obstruction of justice”.

A spokeswoman for Mr Sessions declined to comment, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr Trump did not have any public events on Monday.

Mr Trump has previously pressed Mr Sessions to investigate his perceived enemies and has accused him of failing to take control of the Justice Department.

The tension between Mr Trump and Mr Sessions boiled over recently with Mr Sessions punching back, saying that he and his department “will not be improperly influenced by political considerations”. Still, the former senator has made clear to associates that he has no intention of leaving his job voluntarily despite Mr Trump’s constant criticism.

Allies, including Republican members of Congress, have long advised Mr Trump that firing Mr Sessions – especially before the November midterm elections – would be deeply damaging to the party. But some have indicated that the president may make a change after the elections.

“I think there will come a time, sooner rather than later, where it will be time to have a new face and a fresh voice at the Department of Justice,” Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters recently.

The charges against Mr Hunter and Mr Collins came as the Democrats prepared their attempt to re-take Congress from the Republicans, having lost their own majority during Barack Obama‘s administration.

Additional reporting by AP