Jeff Sessions crushed his Senate hearing on Trump and the Russia investigation

As Sessions made clear by quoting specific Justice Department rules, the attorney general not only was absolutely right to recuse himself from the Russia investigation but also was duty-bound to do so. Despite what the conspiracy-mongers imply, that obligation applied for reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with his involvement with any of the matters under investigation. And despite what Trump appears to believe, the recusal did not make it more likely — indeed, it could have made it less likely, if Trump had kept his mouth and Twitter finger stifled — for the Russia investigation to more thoroughly engulf the administration.

In the midst of all the breathless fulminations from both sides, Sessions was a model of decorum. He was cordial and respectful, but firm and unyielding; he was as forthcoming as possible on all matters on which he thought he was rightly allowed to be forthcoming, and also quite open about why he could not be forthcoming on others.

(When he said he felt obligated not to discuss private advice he gave to the president, he also made clear that the obligation was only conditional and limited, just so as to retain the president’s legal rights for the short-term until a decision on “privilege” could be responsibly reached. At least for the immediate purposes of this hearing, Sessions is indisputably correct: A temporary retainer of the rights of the executive is what any executive official owes the president, until the White House and its counsel can consider the legal ramifications.)

“I think Jeff Sessions helped himself quite a bit,” said John King on CNN just after the hearing ended.

King continued by saying that Sessions particularly came across well in explaining that in effect he had recused himself from the Russian investigation some two weeks before he formally announced his decision to do so. Knowing that recusal might be required, Sessions showed integrity by taking the extra step of anticipating the recusal so as not to compromise either himself or the investigation in the meantime.

King is right. Everything Sessions did was in concert with both the letter and the spirit of the law and of internal Justice Department rules.

This is exactly to be expected from the Eagle Scout and longtime prosecutor: firm adherence to and respect for the law and, more broadly, for propriety.

Plenty remains to be learned about how Russia tried to interfere with our elections, and how successfully. But it won’t be learned by concentrating on Jeff Sessions: The Alabaman was, and is, completely out of that particular loop.

About The Author: Quin Hillyer (@QuinHillyer) is a former associate editorial page editor for the Washington Examiner.

This opinion editorial and its related media previously appeared in the Washington Examiner and is being re-posted courtesy of the Washington Examiner.