Years, in and originally started with nine students at the basement of the sharp Street Methodist Episcopal Church celebrating 150 years and has nearly 8,000 students. A history and leg gacy tied to historically black colleges and universities. They will celebrate their 150th anniversary and these university are Morgan State University in baltimore, maryland, Howard University in d. C. Johnson c. Smith in North Carolina, Barbara Scotia in North Carolina, talledega in alabama, st. Augustine in North Carolina, alabama State University in alabama, fayet fayetteville State University in North Carolina and moore House College in georgia. In 1867, these nine historically black colleges and universities formed the largest concentration of any historically black colleges and universities established in any single year. In 1965, the Higher Education act of 1965 formally recognized 105 historically black colleges and universities, and so these 105hbcus are an important legacy to the education of
Ranking member of subcommittee for Opening Statement. Thank you, there chairman. And i know mr. Meadows will be here shortly. Federal employees who blow the whistle on waste, fraud and abuse are in the front lines in the effort to ensure that our government functions efficiently and effectively. This committee has a long history of strong bipartisan support for those whistleblowers and i want to thank the chairman, mr. Meadows, for holding todays hearing. Whistleblower protection is rooted in Civil Service protections. Due process and meritbased hiring and promotion free of discrimination, retaliation and political influence form the bedrock of the very whistleblower protections we are concerned about and have been for a long time on this commit even subcommittee. Five years ago, the bipartisan whistleblower protection enhancement act of 2012 significantly strengthened the rights of federal employees who disclose waste, fraud and abuse. This legislation marks substantial progress but a
Joining us. Im megan fits gerard. And im erika gonzalez. We begin with new calls for attorney general Jeff Sessions to resign. Its a report in a Washington Post that sessions spoke with russias ambassador twice last year. In an nbc news exclusive, sessions denies any wrong doing. I have not met with any russians at any time to discuss any Political Campaign and those remarks are unbelievable to me and i dont have anything else to say about that. The Justice Department is investigating russian interference in the president ial election. News 4s Edward Lawrence has the latest. Reporter aides to the attorney general confirm he spoke to the Russian Ambassador twice last september and never disclosed it during the confirmation hearing. Heres what he said under oath. If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the trump cam russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do . Senator franken, im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate a
Rather, the quicker we are going to solve this case. Reporter there are people cooperating with the investigation who saw the shooting happen . We know there must have been people who saw something. Were still trying to track those people down. Reporter Prince Georges County police are releasing very few details about this as this is an investigation that is just beginning. I can tell you homicide detectives are on the scene. The chief of police was also here for a short time talking with detectives about what they found here. Were waiting for more details. As soon as they become available, we will share them. Reporting live in oxon hill, im tracee wilkins. Turning to politics now and the announcement just over half an hour ago from attorney general Jeff Sessions that he will recuse himself from any investigations involving the Trump Campaign and russia. That move after some democrats in Congress Called for him to go a step further and resign. Our Chris Lawrence is in the newsroom with
From republicans who were trying to get Jeff Sessions to either step back or in some cases step down. Late this afternoon attorney general Jeff Sessions announced he will not be involved in the investigation into ties between russia and the Trump Campaign based on recommendations from his advisors at the just dice department. I have reaccused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump Campaign. Reporter sessions is under fire for saying this at his confirmation hearing in january. I did not have communications with the russians. Reporter but his Office Confirms sessions did meet with russias ambassador twice during the compaampaign. My reply to the question of senator franken was honest a correct as i understood it at the time. Reporter because he failed to disclose the meetings under oath, a growing chorus of republicans agree that sessions should not oversee the investigation into ties between russia and the Trump Campaign. I do think he should recuse himself, absolutely. Reporte