On Tuesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions dismissed former FBI Director James Comey's report to senators last week in a closed-door session that Sessions possibly had a third, previously unreported meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at the Mayflower Hotel in April 2016. Sessions said that it was his understanding that Kislyak was indeed in attendance at the event, but that he could "not remember" talking to the ambassador.

Under questioning, Sessions clarified it was "possible" he had spoken with Kislyak but if it happened, he couldn't "recall" it.

"Certainly I can assure you nothing improper [happened] if I'd had a conversation with him, and it's conceivable that occurred," Sessions said. "I just don't remember it."

Perhaps this photograph might jog his memory? Jeva Lange

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is clashing with top White House aide Stephen Miller, Politico reports, over immigration policy and State Department leadership.

"Miller pushed Tillerson and the State Department to be tougher on immigration and make changes to the programs they control," four unnamed sources told Politico, and the two men were observed in a strained conversation in which Tillerson was "quite clear" he expects autonomy as head of State. Per Politico's sources, Tillerson is chafing at the expectation that he would take direction from substantially younger and less experienced administration figures like Miller.

Miller is reportedly working on legislation and regulatory changes to cut back on legal immigration, including refugee admissions. The State Department currently houses the Bureau of Consular Affairs and the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the agencies responsible for refugee vetting as well as visa and passport issuance. A White House memo reported by CNN Friday indicated the Trump administration may move those offices under the aegis of the Department of Homeland Security, a change that would fit President Trump's broader preference for State Department cuts. Bonnie Kristian

About half of all states have refused to fully comply with a Trump administration request for comprehensive voter data to investigate President Trump's suspicions of election fraud, a rejection Trump himself suggests is a sign the state governments are hiding something. Via The Washington Post, here's a breakdown of which states have said no — and why.

Intriguingly, the Post's map shows the refusals aren't clearly partisan. Four of the 10 states (plus Washington, D.C.) that have refused outright backed Trump in 2016, and 16 more red states have only agreed to partial compliance:

(The Washington Post)

The rationales for denying the Election Integrity Commission's demand vary. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D) said he would not "provide sensitive voter information to a commission that has already inaccurately passed judgment that millions of Californians voted illegally." Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) labeled the investigation "at best a waste of taxpayer money and at worst an attempt to legitimize voter suppression efforts across the country."

Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann (R) responded more colorfully, inviting the commission to "go jump in the Gulf of Mexico" in a statement citing concerns about privacy and federal overreach. Kansas and Indiana officials said some aspects of compliance would violate state law, while Alabama demanded proof the data would be stored securely. Bonnie Kristian

At least 28 people were injured but none killed in a shooting at a nightclub in Little Rock, Arkansas, early Saturday morning. "We do NOT believe this incident was an active shooter or terror-related incident. It appears to have been a dispute at a concert," said a tweeted statement from the Little Rock Police Department.

The incident at the Ultra Power Lounge happened around 2:30 a.m. on the club's second floor. Early reports indicate it was a spontaneous exchange of gunfire rather than a single shooter. Victims are being treated at local hospitals, and the police investigation is ongoing.

This post has been updated throughout. Bonnie Kristian

Amid a series of media-focused tweets Saturday morning, President Trump paused to insinuate nearly half of state governments are concealing wrongdoing because they have not complied with a request from his new Election Integrity Commission for an extensive set of voter data to fuel an election fraud investigation:

The commission is tasked with investigating Trump's persistent but unsupported claim that he only lost the popular vote in the 2016 election because millions of illegal votes were cast. To that end, it has requested the name, address, date of birth, party affiliation, last four Social Security number digits, and 10 years of voting history of every voter in every state.

So far, two dozen states with Republican and Democratic leadership alike have rejected the data demands. "There's not enough bourbon here in Kentucky to make this request seem sensible," said Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D). "Not on my watch are we going to be releasing sensitive information that relate to the privacy of individuals."
Bonnie Kristian

President Trump returned to Twitter Saturday morning to double down on his public feud with MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski while incongruously suggesting they should have more editorial control of their show:

The president's fight with the co-hosts of Morning Joe began Thursday when Trump tweeted a crude attack targeting Brzezinski's intelligence and appearance. Since then, the co-hosts have accused Trump of attempting to blackmail them (possibly via his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner) for more favorable coverage.

The media was clearly on Trump's mind Saturday, as he also tweeted about CNN ("I am extremely pleased to see that @CNN has finally been exposed as #FakeNews and garbage journalism") and NBC ("Word is that @Greta Van Susteren was let go by her out of control bosses at @NBC & @Comcast because she refused to go along w/ 'Trump hate!'"), in each case casting the press as his enemy. Bonnie Kristian

The governments of Maine and New Jersey entered a partial shutdown Saturday after lawmakers in both states failed to reach a budget agreement with their respective governors.

In Maine, the fight is about taxes. "The Maine people are taxed enough. I will not tax them anymore and in my budget overall taxes were decreased," Maine Gov. Paul LePage said in his shutdown announcement. The legislature's budget proposes a 3 percent tax hike on Maine residents with an annual income of at least $200,000.

New Jersey's debate centers on opioid addiction programs and public worker pensions, with Gov. Chris Christie threatening to use his line-item veto to enforce his demands. State parks will stay open in Maine, but New Jersey's beaches could be closed throughout the July 4 holiday weekend, a development that will not sit well with New Jersey voters. Bonnie Kristian

Recreational marijuana sales began Saturday in Nevada, the fifth state to legalize recreational pot use despite continuing federal prohibition, with some dispensaries opening at midnight Saturday morning. The legalization was approved by ballot initiative in November with 55 percent public support.

Pot purchases are regulated much like alcohol, allowing buyers over 21 to purchase up to one ounce of marijuana at a time. However, it is still illegal to use recreational marijuana anywhere outside private residences, and it is also illegal to bring marijuana purchased in another state where it is legal, like Washington or Colorado, into Nevada.

Legalization is expected to be a major tourist draw for Las Vegas as well as a significant new source of state revenue. Bonnie Kristian