Jeff Sessions weathers turbulent year as attorney general
WASHINGTON (AP) â Jeff Sessions was in his office  looking unusually deflated. He had just received another public lashing from  President Donald Trump .
 Trump  had browbeaten  his  attorney general for months after Sessions' decision to step aside from the intensifying Russia investigation. Never mind that Sessions has proved fiercely devoted to his boss  carrying out  Trump 's agenda while giving him credit every step of the way.  Trump  was unforgiving.
Sessions will soon mark his first year on the job  having survived a barrage of insults from  Trump   antipathy from some Justice Department employees and even calls from some fellow Republicans for him to resign. Last week  America's top law enforcement officer was himself questioned as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible obstruction of justice and  Trump  campaign ties to Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
 Trump 's relentless attacks have been a wearing distraction  say friends and associates of the former Alabama senator. The Associated Press interviewed more than a dozen of them  many of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private interactions.
What keeps  him  going  friends say  is  his  Methodist faith  support from  his  wife and  his  awareness that  at age 71  leading the Justice Department is  his  best and perhaps final chance to carry out the policy changes  he  long has sought.
Sessions  the first senator to endorse  Trump 's candidacy  declined to be interviewed for this story but did agree to respond to written questions.  He  did not directly address  his  personal relationship with  Trump  but said  his  first year was marked by progress on a number of  Trump 's priorities: fighting crime  combating gangs and helping police.
"We are doing what the people sent us here to do "  he  said.
While Sessions is proud of  his  first year  friends see signs of stress. At an annual Justice Department Christmas party  one friend noted  the usually upbeat attorney general looked sullen and tired.
"We have talked about some of the difficult times  he 's had since  he  has been attorney general " said the Senate's second-ranking Republican  John Cornyn of Texas  a Sessions' confidant. "My comment to  him  was  as long as you're doing the right thing  I don't think you have anything to apologize for."
FILE - In this Nov. 14  2017  file photo  Attorney General Jeff Sessions testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill  in Washington. Sessions will soon mark his first year as the nationâs chief law enforcement officer. That comes even after a year that included a barrage of insults from  President Donald Trump   antipathy from some of  his  own employees and even some calls from  his  fellow Republicans to resign. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster  File)
Critics say Sessions is too loyal  dangerously politicizing  his  department in an effort to appease  Trump . Sessions told senior prosecutors to look into Hillary Clinton's activities after  Trump  demanded investigations of  his  2016 Democratic rival  and  he  has been eager to pursue investigations into  Trump  grievances  such as media leaks. Lawmakers accuse Sessions of stonewalling congressional committees investigating the  Trump  campaign by repeatedly saying  he  doesn't recall key events.
Some say Sessions' public silence in the face of  Trump 's assaults on the department is demoralizing to employees and threatens its independence from the White House. Sessions said Friday that it's the department's responsibility to identify past mistakes and that a "culture of defensiveness is not acceptable."
"It seems  he  recognizes  he  is in such a weakened position  if  he  wants to stay in  Trump 's good graces  he  has to at least make a show of responding to  Trump 's demands  and that's extremely dangerous " said William Yeomans  who spent nearly 30 years at the department under Democratic and Republican administrations.
One example that raised eyebrows: Sessions' plan to confront the opioid crisis hews so closely to  Trump 's that White House aide Kellyanne Conway was on hand in the Justice Department's seventh-floor conference room when he announced it.
Sessions declined to address specific actions by his department but said it carries out "the law without regard to the political consequences or to poll numbers or who benefits and who doesn't " and  Trump  supports that.
Even if Sessions is complying with  Trump 's demands and pursuing  his  agenda  the attorney general has yet to find himself back in favor with the president. Before Sessions' decision to withdraw from the Russia investigation   Trump  used to call Sessions periodically and seek  his  counsel. Now the two men rarely speak  and Sessions at times has resorted to asking West Wing aides to pass messages to  Trump .
WASHINGTON (AP) â Jeff Sessions was in his office  looking unusually deflated. He had just received another public lashing from  [TGT]  .
  [TGT] had browbeaten  his  attorney general for months after Sessions' decision to step aside from the intensifying Russia investigation. Never mind that Sessions has proved fiercely devoted to his boss  carrying out   [TGT]  's agenda while giving him credit every step of the way.   [TGT] was unforgiving.
Sessions will soon mark  [TGT]  first year on the job  having survived a barrage of insults from   [TGT] antipathy from some Justice Department employees and even calls from some fellow Republicans for  [TGT]  to resign. Last week  America's top law enforcement officer was himself questioned as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible obstruction of justice and   [TGT]   campaign ties to Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
  [TGT]  's relentless attacks have been a wearing distraction  say friends and associates of the former Alabama senator. The Associated Press interviewed more than a dozen of them  many of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private interactions.
What keeps  him  going  friends say  is  his  Methodist faith  support from  his  wife and  his  awareness that  at age 71  leading the Justice Department is  his  best and perhaps final chance to carry out the policy changes  he  long has sought.
Sessions  the first senator to endorse   [TGT]  's candidacy  declined to be interviewed for this story but did agree to respond to written questions.  He  did not directly address  his  personal relationship with  Trump  but said  his  first year was marked by progress on a number of  Trump 's priorities: fighting crime  combating gangs and helping police.
"We are doing what the people sent us here to do "  he  said.
While Sessions is proud of  his  first year  friends see signs of stress. At an annual Justice Department Christmas party  one friend noted  the usually upbeat attorney general looked sullen and tired.
"We have talked about some of the difficult times  he 's had since  he  has been attorney general " said the Senate's second-ranking Republican  John Cornyn of Texas  a Sessions' confidant. "My comment to  him  was  as long as you're doing the right thing  I don't think you have anything to apologize for."
FILE - In this Nov. 14  2017  file photo  Attorney General Jeff Sessions testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill  in Washington. Sessions will soon mark his first year as the nationâs chief law enforcement officer. That comes even after a year that included a barrage of insults from  [TGT]  and even some calls from   [TGT]   fellow Republicans to resign. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster  File)
Critics say Sessions is too loyal  dangerously politicizing  his  department in an effort to appease  Trump . Sessions told senior prosecutors to look into Hillary Clinton's activities after   [TGT] demanded investigations of   [TGT]   2016 Democratic rival  and   [TGT]   has been eager to pursue investigations into   [TGT]   grievances  such as media leaks. Lawmakers accuse Sessions of stonewalling congressional committees investigating the   [TGT]   campaign by repeatedly saying   [TGT]   doesn't recall key events.
Some say Sessions' public silence in the face of  Trump 's assaults on the department is demoralizing to employees and threatens its independence from the White House. Sessions said Friday that it's the department's responsibility to identify past mistakes and that a "culture of defensiveness is not acceptable."
"It seems  he  recognizes  he  is in such a weakened position  if  he  wants to stay in   [TGT]  's good graces   [TGT]   has to at least make a show of responding to  Trump 's demands  and that's extremely dangerous " said William Yeomans  who spent nearly 30 years at the department under Democratic and Republican administrations.
One example that raised eyebrows: Sessions' plan to confront the opioid crisis hews so closely to   [TGT]  's that White House aide Kellyanne Conway was on hand in the Justice Department's seventh-floor conference room when he announced it.
Sessions declined to address specific actions by his department but said it carries out "the law without regard to the political consequences or to poll numbers or who benefits and who doesn't " and  Trump  supports that.
Even if Sessions is complying with   [TGT]  's demands and pursuing  his  agenda  the attorney general has yet to find himself back in favor with the president. Before Sessions' decision to withdraw from the Russia investigation    [TGT]   used to call Sessions periodically and seek  his  counsel. Now the two men rarely speak  and Sessions at times has resorted to asking West Wing aides to pass messages to  Trump .