Senator agrees Sessions recusal was wrong step

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Rand Paul is agreeing with President Donald Trump that Attorney General Jeff Sessions shouldn't have recused himself from the federal probe into whether Trump's campaign got Russian help in last year's election.

Paul is a Kentucky Republican known for his maverick ways, though senators seldom openly criticize current or even former colleagues. Sessions was a GOP senator from Alabama until becoming attorney general this year.

Paul tweeted today: "I agree with @realDonaldTrump, his Attorney General should not have recused himself over reported incidental contacts with Russian officials."

Trump told The New York Times he wouldn't have picked Sessions for the job had he known he'd stand down from the investigation.

After Sessions stepped aside, Robert Mueller became special counsel atop an investigation into Russian interference in last year's campaign.