What will Sessions do if Trump asks about the Cohen investigation?

As we noted this morning, Attorney General Sessions has decided against recusing himself from the investigation of Michael Cohen. Allahpundit reports that the decision has produced dueling conspiracy theories. One holds that Sessions will go to bat for Trump and undermine the Cohen investigation, at least insofar as it implicates the president. The other holds that Sessions will use his role in the Cohen investigation as leverage with Trump to protect his job.

Both theories are rubbish, in my view. There is this question, though: What happens if/when Trump asks Sessions for information about the Cohen investigation?

Here’s what I believe will happen. Sessions will seek guidance from ethics officials at the Justice Department, just as he did before he recused himself from the Russia investigation. He will then follow the advice he receives. To the extent that what Trump asks of him is deemed proper, he will comply. But only to that extent.

Trump is unlikely to fire Sessions for not acceding to requests that are deemed unethical by the Department of Justice. That would be a serious error. In any case, don’t expect Sessions to violate ethics rules in order to keep his job.

What people on both sides of the Trump divide don’t seem to get about Jeff Sessions is that he’s an honorable man. There aren’t that many of them around these days, so it’s easy to understand the error.

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