“Your interpretation of a shadow” - Kristen Stewart on texting and social media.

TIME OUT SESSIONS

THE STORY

Yesterday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he won’t be involved in any investigations into Russia’s interference in the presidential election.

REMIND ME.

Last year, the US intelligence community threw up a red flag and said Russia interfered in the election, in part to help President Trump win. The FBI’s been investigating whether Trump’s aides had any contact with Russian officials. Leaks from that investigation led former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to resign last month after misleading the White House about convos he had with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the US. Meanwhile - during his Senate confirmation hearing to be attorney general - Sessions said he had not spoken with Russian officials during the campaign. Turns out, Sessions met with Kislyak twice last year.

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY?

Sessions said that he didn’t mention these meetings at the hearings because he and Kislyak didn’t talk about the campaign. Now, he’s officially stepping away from “existing or future investigations” into the Russia election saga because of his “involvement with the campaign.”

WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING?

Trump said that what Sessions did was “not intentional” and this is a “total witch hunt.” Meanwhile, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle - who called for Sessions to step out of any investigation - gave the thumbs up. Some Dems still think Sessions should resign.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Yup. Yesterday, the White House said that Jared Kushner - Trump’s son-in-law and one of his top advisers - also met with Kislyak last year with Flynn. And in other news making Team Trump want a weekend…it also came out yesterday that Vice President Mike Pence used a private email server to carry out some public business as governor of Indiana. That reportedly includes emails about things like homeland security. The email account was hacked last year. During the election, Pence criticized Hillary Clinton for using a private email server, saying she put national security at risk.

theSKIMM

This week started with a well-received speech to Congress that many thought could signal a turning point for the Trump administration. Problem is, these questions about Russia are not going away.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU FIND $20 ON THE SIDEWALK...

Score. Same for Snap Inc. Yesterday, Snapchat’s parent company made its stock market debut. And everything was coming up rainbow vomit and flower crowns. This was the biggest US tech IPO since Facebook. Investors started snapping up shares for around $24 apiece - making the company worth about $29 billion. That’s almost three times what Twitter is currently worth. That sound you hear is CEO Evan Spiegel saying ‘told you I had a good idea.’ Who didn’t have a good day? Machinery company Caterpillar Inc. Yesterday, some of its offices got a little visit from the feds. Unclear why but some of the agents were IRS investigators. Don’t mess with Uncle Sam.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE WATCHING...

Yemen. Yesterday, US officials said that a military raid there earlier this year allowed them to collect a lot of valuable intelligence. Reminder: President Trump authorized a raid against al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch during his first week in office. Several civilians and Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens were killed during the raid. And there were a lot of questions about how well thought-out or effective it was. Now, US officials say computers and cellphones seized during the raid revealed contact info for hundreds of people connected to al-Qaeda. And the gov’s reportedly trying to find all these people to, you know, see what they’re up to. Also yesterday, the US launched a series of airstrikes in Yemen against al Qaeda militants. Officials say this was already in the works and wasn’t planned as a result of the earlier raid.

WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR FRIEND WHO ASKS YOU TO HELP PLAN HER BIRTHDAY WEEKEND…

Reporting for duty. Yesterday, Sweden said it’s bringing back a military draft next year, and it’ll include women for the first time ever. They country hasn’t had a draft for years. But now Sweden - aka the geopolitical synonym for neutrality - is bulking up its military in part because it’s worried about Russian aggression in the region. See: Ukraine. Meanwhile, in other neighborhood watch news, yesterday the EU decided that top French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen can be prosecuted. This is for that time she tweeted violent ISIS images back in 2015. This sort of thing is illegal in France and can land you in prison. Except Le Pen’s a member of EU’s parliament, which protects members when it comes to free speech. Not anymore for Le Pen. Yesterday’s decision means prosecutors can now bring her in for questioning. Merde.

SKIMM READS

“All Our Wrong Todays” by Elan Mastai

Imagine a world with flying cars, no aging, and casual trips to the moon. This one’s about a guy who lives in that world, but accidentally shifts into the reality we all know…and it might be better for him. It sounds weird, but we’re hooked. Think: “Outlander” meets “Back to the Future.” Buy here.

PS: Maybe a Jetsons-like world is not your thing. You do you. Check out all our past Skimm Reads recommendations right here. 

SKIMM GIFT

Skimm HQ says it’s not too early to start thinking about your summer vacay. Say ‘hola’ to three nights in Costa Rica. Think: you and a plus one, riding into the sunset on horseback. Plus cash money for the flight. Enter here.

SKIMM LIFE

We know you like us. But would you double tap us?

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* indicates Skimm’bassador. Ready to paaaaartayyy.

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