Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions remains in the spotlight of the Congressional investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 Presidential Election. Sessions’ choice to recuse himself from the investigation has been a source of frustration in the Trump Administration and allegedly resulted in an offer to resign by the former Alabama Senator. Sessions has yet to be subpoenaed by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller in the Russia investigation. Some have speculated that he is the centerpiece of potential legal actions while supports claim that he has not been subpoenaed due to lack of evidence suggesting inappropriate actions on the part of the Attorney General.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions publicly and repeatedly clashed with Democratic Sen. Al Franken on Wednesday after being pressed over the accuracy of past testimony regarding his communications with the Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign. In one of several testy exchanges Sessions had with Democratic senators during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Franken, D-Minn., grilled the attorney general and suggested his explanations have changed.
“The goal post has been moved. First it was ‘I did not have communications with Russians’ – which was not true. Then it was ‘I never met with Russians to discuss any political campaign’ – which may or may not be true. Now it is ‘I did not discuss interference in the campaign’ which further narrows your initial blanket denial about meeting with the Russians,” Franken said.
A visibly frustrated Sessions responded that, “Without hesitation, I conducted no improper discussions with Russians at any time regarding a campaign or any other item facing this country.”
Franken attempted to begin a second round of questioning before Sessions could respond in full to the first, but Sessions fired back.
“Mr. Chairman, I do not have to sit in here and listen to his charges without having a chance to respond. Give me a break,” Sessions said, noting that Franken’s “lead in” to his questioning was “very, very troubling,” and that he needed more time to respond.
Franken’s initial line of questioning referred to a report that was published around the time of Sessions’ testimony this summer, to which Sessions said Wednesday he responded on the spot. The report alleged that U.S. intelligence agencies had intercepted Russian communications that shed light on “substantive discussions on policy matters important to Moscow.” Sessions, at the time, said he “did not have any private meetings” and he did not “recall any conversations with any Russian officials at the Mayflower Hotel.”
Watch the full exchange here:
