Republican Lawmakers Call for Sessions to Recuse Himself

Updated on March 2 at 1:13 p.m. ET

Republican lawmakers have called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to step aside from oversight of the investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Their calls came after recent news reports revealed that the former Alabama senator met with Russia’s ambassador to the United States during the election.

Ohio’s Rob Portman late Thursday morning that Sessions should recuse himself, the first Republican senator to say so outright; he was followed later by Maine’s Susan Collins. A growing number of House Republicans have suggested the same,, chairman of the House Oversight Committee; Idaho Representative ; Darrell Issa, the California representative and former Oversight chair; Virginia Representative ; and Michigan Representative . , House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy indicated Sessions shouldn’t oversee the investigation, though within hours seemed to change his mind.