This morning, a commuter train hit a truck that was abandoned. No one was killed but 21 of the 58 people on the train were taken to the hospital. Tonight, four of them, including the engineer are in critical condition. Omar villafranca is at the scene. Reporter the explosion and flames lit up the sky after the metrolink train struck the truck just before dawn. Ould see three of by daylight, you could see three of the five of the 7. 5ton rail cars toppled over like toys. The truck driver, a 54yearold man from arizona, got stuck on the tracks and jumped out when he saw the train coming. He was found walking about two miles away from the crash. Was the driver under the influence of anything, according to your officers . He appeared to be very unsettled, and so the extent or the cause of that is actually yet to be determined. Reporter officials here say todays crash would have been much worse if not for new rail cars designed and purchased after a 2008 metrolink commuter crash which killed
Steps would be, but what we are told by Senior Justice Department officials this morning is that this has always been her plan, to defer to the guidance, to the recommendations by career Justice Department prosecutors. Thats the way these cases normally work anyway. The only question where theres a little uncertainty here is precisely what her exact role will be. These Officials Say shes not simply going to sort of ministerially accept whatever they say and pass it on and just put her signature on it automatically but that she will be strongly guided by, she will defer to all but, basically, take their recommendations, that her role will be largely guided by what the career folks say. And i have to say that this has been what she strongly is hinting at whenever shes asked about this in the past several months, because many republicans have said that given the fact shes an appointee of the president , there should be a special prosecutor here and thats a frequent call whenever theres a
Met twice with the Russian Ambassador during the 2016 race. Lawmakers from both parties are battling over whats next for sessions as we learn more about who in the Trump Campaign met with that very same diplomat. The shadow of russia looms over the Trump Administration on day 43 of his presidency. Lets begin our coverage with cnns sarah murray live at the white house. Good morning, sarah. Good morning, alisyn. Jeff sessions may be recusing himself but that doesnt answer all the questions about ties with this president and his advisers and russian officials. Weve now learned that not only did Jeff Sessions meet with the Russian Ambassador, Michael Flynn met with the Russian Ambassador. Now even Donald Trumps soninlaw, a Senior Adviser in this white house, Jared Kushner held his own meeting with the Russian Ambassador. I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump Campaign. Reporter attorney general Jeff Sessions recusing himself from any investigations into the Trump Cam
Remarks are unbelievable to me and are false and i dont have anything else to say about that. And of course, jake, all of this comes months after Jeff Sessions called for the recusal of then attorney general Loretta Lynch after she met with bill clinton on the tarmac while the fbi was probing Hillary Clintons private email server. Now clearly he is caught in the middle of this political fire storm. We will have to wait and see what he announces at this press conference coming up shortly at the department of justice. Of course, he has repeatedly said if it is appropriate, he will recuse himself from any investigation. He has not commit today recusing himself yet f. That does happen from anything involving russia. Well have to see what happens at d. O. J. Obviously were going to bring attorney general sessions to you live when he steps before the lectern there. Pamela brown, stick around. I want to bring in some of the my panelists now, amanda carpenter. Maybe its that im cynical and bee
Is in discussions between the conservative Freedom Caucus and house moderates. On another front, republican congressman tom cole of oklahoma sums it up this way. Quote, differences have narrowed and this thing is very much alive,en quote. House republicans will talk legislative priorities on a Conference Call this saturday. We would expect health care repealing and replacing obamacare the effort to revive that legislative effort to be one of those topics. Our National Politics reporter m. J. Lee is joining us with details. M. J. , walk us through the behind the scene efforts under way to revive this health care reform. Well, wolf, what we are seeing is some potential move minute on health care. What we know is that leaders of the tuesday group and the house Freedom Caucus have been talking throughout the easter recess to see if they can get to an agreement so that they can revive the Health Care Bill that failed about a month ago. Now, sources tell us that they have largely been talkin