Criminal complaint against Attorney General Jeff Sessions alleges perjury, making false statements, and obstruction of justice related to Russia meetings

Jeff Sessions

Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a long-time U.S. senator from Alabama, faces criminal allegations based on false statements during his confirmation hearings about meetings with a Russian ambassador. Boston attorney J. Whitfield Larrabee filed the complaint yesterday, on behalf of 23 citizens who allege Sessions violated federal statutes on perjury, false statements and obstruction of justice.

The case, styled Cynthia Berkowitz, M.D.,et.al. v. Jefferson B. Sessions, III, was filed with Inspector General Michael Horowitz and Counsel Robin C. Ashton, of the Office of Professional Responsibility, both in the Department of Justice (DOJ) that Sessions heads. (The complaint is embedded at the end of this post.)

Larrabee has filed a complaint against Sessions with the Alabama State Bar, which could lead to professional sanctions. But the criminal complaint carries much more serious penalties, including the possible loss of Sessions' freedom. Filing of the complaint drew coverage yesterday from The Washington Post and Fortune magazine.

“There is no doubt that Attorney General Sessions falsely denied communicating with Russian officials in testimony before the United States Senate," Larrabee said in a press release. "After this false testimony was revealed, Sessions made other false statements to the American people and to the United States’ Senate. Sessions attempted to conceal and to cover up his misconduct. He illegally interfered with the proper administration of the Department of Justice. The substantial evidence of criminal conduct by Attorney General Jeff Sessions makes it impossible for him to continue leading the Department.”

J. Whitfield Larrabee

Sessions' actions threaten the credibility of the entire DOJ, Larrabee says. "“Attorney General Sessions is putting his own personal interest above the interest of the people of the United States by failing to resign. Because there are grounds not only to investigate, but also to charge Sessions with several crimes, the integrity of the Department of Justice will be destroyed so long as Sessions remains in office. Prosecutors at the Department of Justice cannot properly investigate this matter while Sessions remains in office because of a natural reluctance to aggressively probe and prosecute the leader of their own Department. It is an inherent conflict of interest.”

If Sessions refuses to step down, President Donald Trump has a duty to fire him, Larrabee says. "Because the Attorney General has failed to resign, the President is obligated to put the interests of the people of the United States above his own partisan loyalty to Sessions. If he does what is best for the people of the United States, President Trump will fire the Attorney General.

“Under the regulations of the Department of Justice, the Deputy Attorney General must immediately appoint a Special Counsel to investigate evidence of criminal conduct by Attorney General Sessions.”