When he was a surrogate for the Trump Campaign. David kspeak with johnson, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author of the making of donald trump and james henry. Then as donald trump continues his crackdown on immigrants, we look at the shocking case of an Asylum Seeker from el salvador who is being detained as she battles a brain tumor. Free sara now amy we will speak to sara Beltran Hernandezs attorney and Amnesty International, which is calling on ice to release the ill woman. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The Justice Department said wednesday attorney general Jeff Sessions met twice last year with russias ambassador to the United States contradicting , sworn testimony by sessions to congress. The disclosure renewed calls for a special prosecutor to investigate ties between the Trump Campaign and russias government, and prompted calls from senior democrats for sessions to resign. During his confirmation hearing in january to become attorney general, thensenator sessions was asked by minnesota senator al franken whether he knew of contacts between Trump Campaign officials and russias government. That there is s anyvidence anyoyone affiliated with the trp campaign communicateted with the russiann government in the coure of this campaign, what will you do . , i am not aware of any of those activities. I have been n called a surrogate at a timime or two in that campaign, and i did not have communications with the russians. Amy the Washington Post reported wednesday that sessions twice met with Russian AmbassadorSergey Kislyak in july on the sidelines of the Republican National convention and in september in sessions office on capitol hill. And the wall street journal reports federal investigators are probing sessions contacts with russian officials. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on wednesday accused sessions of apparent perjury and said in a statement sessions is not fit to serve as the top Law Enforcement officer of our country and must resign. Joining the call was maryland congressman elijah cummings, the Ranking Member of the House Oversight committee. Many Top Democrats are calling for a special prosecutor to investigate ties between top Trump Officials and russias government. At least one Top Republican senator said wednesday hes open to the idea. This is South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham speaking on cnn. It is clear to me that Jeff Sessions, who is my dear friend, cannot make this decision about trump. So there may be nothing there but if there is something there, if the fbi believes it is criminal in nature, then for sure you need a special prosecutor. Amy Washington Post asked if they had contact. 19 of the 26 Committee Members who responded s said no. Inin a statement attorney generl , sessions said i n never met with any russiain offificials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that the Obama Administrationon scrambled d dug its final days in office to preserve evidence of russias collusion with the Trump Campaign. Citing unnamed former officials, the times says obamas s aides left a trail of evidence across different Government Agencies to prevent the Incoming Trump administration from covering up or destroying evidence. The white house is seeking to dramatically reduce the power of the Environmental Protection agency, slashing dozens of programs and laying off 20 of the agencys staff. The plan calls for the complete elimination of epa programs on climate change, toxic waste cleanup, environmental justice, and funding for native alaskan villages. It would slash funding for clean air and water programs by 30 . In a statement to the Washington Post, William Becker of the National Association of clean air agencies said these cuts, if enacted by congress, will rip the heart and soul out of the National Air Pollution control program and jeopardize the health and welfare of tens of millions of people around the country. Former republican Congressmember Ryan zinke was sworn in wednesday as secretary of the interior. Vice president mike pence administered the oath of office in a ceremony at the white house. We are confident your leadership, Public Service will seek too our nations great Natural Resources and treasures as if they were your own. You will look after and be a steward of the interior of this nation and the vast Natural Resources of this nation with the same commitment to principle and integrity that is characterized her life. Amy former congressman ryan zinke has long promoted mining and logging on federally held lands. Hes indicated hes open to reversing a ban on oil drilling in the arctic. Zinke has also d denied scientis have proven the human impact on climate change. In climate news, new Research Finds spring is arriving in n te Northern Hemisphere far earlier than it did a decade ago. The report in the journal biology letters found that spring arrived 22 days ahehead f normal in washington, d. C. , this year. While in the arctic, some plant species began sprouting nearly a month earlier than normal. Meanwhile, an Argentine Research base in antarctica reported wednesesday it recororded a recd highgh temperaturere of 63. 5 degrees. The findingsgs are consiststenth modedels for globabal warming, d came as the last three years werere successivelely the hotten record. In immigration news, ice officers arrested 22yearold undocumented immigrant d Daniela Vargas in jackson, missisissipp, wednesday shortly after she spoke out publicly about the detention of her family. The arrest further stoked fears that the Trump Administration is cracking down against dreamers immigrants brought to the u. S. As children, who received permission to live and work in the u. S. Under president obamas deferred action for childhood arrivals program, known as daca. At the time of her arrest, vargas had a pending application for renewal of her d daca statu. Meanwhile, Police Chiefs from cities across the u. S. Are resisting a move by the Trump Administration to enlist local Police Officers to help deport undocumented immigrants. The white house plan would also withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. In a joint letter sent to congress tuesday, 61 sheriffffs and Police Chiefs wrote we can best serve our communities by leaving the enforcement of Immigration Laws to the federal government. Threatening the removal of valuable Grant Funding from jurisdictions that choose not to spend limited resources enforcing federal Immigration Law is extremely problematic. President donald trump wants to give defense secretary james mattis and other top military officials a freer hand to launch military raids outside of u. S. Worsens without president iaial approval. Thats according to thehe daily beast, which reports the move could give wide latitude to generals to launch operations like the raid in yemen that cost the life of a navy seal and killed 25 civilians, including nine children under the age of 13. President trump told a joint session of congress on tuesday the yemen raid captured large amounts of vital intelligence that would prevent future terrorist attacks. But nbc news reports that multiple militarary sources said raid produced no actionable intelligence. Meanwhile, a top u. N. Official said u. S. Backed saudiled airstrikes are exacerbating yemens humanitarian catastrophe. You and emergency chief u. N. Emergencncy coordinator Stephen Obrien n spoke to reporters whe touring southern yemen. The best humanitarian solution is the violence stops, the guns fall silent. In the meantime,e, we have to do everythingng we can to support e people who have needs of food, of waterer of warmth,h, and medicine. We need to also makeure we doo everything we can to prorotect civivilians from the terrible threat of war and all the terriblele abuses that go on. Amy obrien called for an end to a saudi blolockade of yemens ports to allow food and medicine to arrive. The u. N. Warns some 14 million yemenis are hungry a and at risk of famine. In iraq, residents of the besieged city of mosul say an airstrike leveled a mosque and flattened nearby homes, killing both isis fighters and civilians. At least three witnesses told reuterers they were unable to count the number of dead because the situation remained too dangerous. A pentagon spokesperson said he wasnt aware of a strike targeting the mosque. The blast came as a coalition of u. S. , kurdish, and iraqi forces seized control of the last major road out of mosul on wednesday, trappiping isisis militants in e wewestern half of the city. In afghanistan, the taliban is claiming responsibility for attacks across the capital kabul ththursday, whickikilled sixtetn peopople and woundnded dozens m. One Suicide Attack t targeted an Afghan Intelligence agencycy building. Another suicidide bomb struck ka Police Precinct in western kabul. Thisis is one of the officers woununded in the blast. I i was in the office when heard an explosion. Right after the explosion, i took a position and tried to get out of the office. Whwhen the sececond explosion tk place, i became unconscious. When i opened my eyes, i found myself in a hospital bed. Amy in syria, a top u. S. General said wednesday that russian warplanes mistakenly bombed syrian antigovernment fighters who were beining traind by the United States. Army lieutenantt general Stephen Townsend said u. S. Advisers were close to the assault when the bombing occurred. Russias Defense Ministry denied itits warplanes fired on pososis held by the u. S. Backed syrian arab coalition. Meanwhile, the United Nations said wedednesday the Syrian Military deliberately targeted a u. N. Aid convoy near aleppo last september, calling the forced evacuation of oppositionheld parts of the east of the city a war crime in canada, three adult childrenn ofof president donald d trump jd a ribboncututting ceremony wednesday y for the new trumpp International Hotel and tower in vancncouver. This is donald trump, jr. This has been an amazing journey. Amy protesters gathered outside wednesdays Ribbon Cutting ceremony, where they chanted and held signs proclaiming, love trumps hate. Cnn reports the vancouver highrise will cater to wealthy investors, like an executive at a major abu dhabi bank, seeking to park their money in real estate investments. The Trump Organization doesnt directly own the tower, but will instead collect licensing fees from the projects owner. Many government ethics experts say the investment puts President Trump at risk of violating the emoluments clause of the constitution, which prohibits People Holding federal office from accepting payments from foreign governments. We will look at President Trump link to that bank over tower after headlines. In georgia, a judge handed down the final two sentences this week against a group of 15 people who terrorized black residents of the city of douglasville, driving around town in pickup trucks emblazoned with confederate flags, shouting racial slurs, and threatening to shoot black people. Witnesses testified that over two days in july 2015, members of the group, which called itself respect the flag, shouted the nword at black motorists and harassed customers at local businesses. At one point, the group drove onto the property of a black resident who was holding a Birthday Party for an eightyearold child, shouting Death Threats and pointing a gun. Members of the group were found guilty of violating a streetgang terrorism law. Prison sentences after 13 years. Ththe incident came a month aftr white supremacist dylann roof, who appeared in Photos Holding a pistol and waving a confederate flag, massacred nine worshipers at the Emanuel Ame Church in charleston, South Carolina. And legendary talkshow host and actor Oprah Winfrey hinted wednesday she is open to running for president in 2020. She was asked about a possible run for the white house during an interview with David Rubenstein of bloombererg tv. I actually never thought i never consider the question even a possibility. I just thought, oh. Oh. Amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The Trump Administration is facing a new scandal as the Justice Department has acknowledged attorney general Jeff Sessions met twice last year with russias ambassador to the United States. Sessionssdicts sworn testimony to congress. In january in his confirmation hearing, then senator sessions was asked by the minnesota senator al franken whether he knew of contacts between Trump Campaign surrogates and rurusss governrnment. E evidence thatny anyonene affiliated with the trp campaign comommunicated d with e russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do . Senator franken, i am not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a a time or two i in that campaign, anand i did d not have communications with the russians. Amy the Washington Post reported wednesday that sessions twice met with Russian Ambassador in july on the sidelines of the Republican National convention and in september in sessions office on capitol hill. The wall street journal reports federal investigators are probing sessions contacts with russian officials. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on wednesday accused sessions of apparent perjury and said in a statement sessions is not fit to serve as the top Law Enforcement officer of our country and must resign. Joinining the call was maryland congressman elijah cummings, Ranking Member of the House Oversight committee. Many Top Democrats are calling for a special prosecutor to investigate ties between top Trump Officials and russias government. At least one Top Republican senator said wednesday hes open to the idea. This is South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham speaking on cnn. Jeff is clear to me that sessions, who is my dear friend, cannnnot make this decisioion at trump. There,e may be nothing but if there is something there, if the fbi believes is criminal in nature, then for sure you need a special prosecutor. Amy earlier thihis morning, attorney general j Jeff Sessions briefly spoke with an nbc reporter. Well, i have not met with any russians at any time to discuss any political campaign. And those e rema