For weeks, Sessions rebuffed calls to recuse himself from the Justice Department's probe into the matter. His position only reversed after getting caught. But Sessions' recusal alone, which Grassley lauded, won't do. This flap perhaps should cost Sessions his job, regardless of how "ridiculous" Grassley finds the idea.

It's becoming increasingly unsustainable for congressional leadership looking to quell this spiraling story. Investigations are ongoing in the appropriate committees, they say. But in too many cases, such as with Rep. David Nunes, chairman of the House Committee on Intelligence and an early Trump supporter, political interest casts doubt the real intent. Nunes even complied recently with a White House request to call the media and try to quash coverage about the administration's links to the Kremlin. Late last week, even more Trump surrogates admitted to meetings with a Russian diplomat prior to the election.

Sessions is the second member of the administration to falsely describe his contacts with the Russians. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's downfall last month applied the heat to Republicans wanting this story to die. Sessions' lack of candor could cook them.