U.S. attorney general to face questions on Comey firing, Russia

[webfact]

U.S. attorney general to face questions on Comey firing, Russia

By Doina Chiacu and Sarah N. Lynch

 

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions addresses the National Law Enforcement Conference on Human Exploitation in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., June 6, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Aluka Berry

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Attorney General Jeff Sessions will face questions about the firing of FBI Director James Comey and undeclared meetings with Russian officials at a U.S. Senate hearing on Tuesday, becoming the highest-ranking member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to testify in the affair.

 

Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer and fellow Democratic Senator Jack Reed questioned on Sunday why Sessions was involved in Trump's May 9 dismissal of Comey after he had recused himself from investigations of whether Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 presidential election with possible help from Trump associates.

 

"There's a real question of the propriety of the attorney general participating in that in any way, shape or form," Reed said on "Fox News Sunday."

 

Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election. The White House has denied any collusion with Moscow.

 

Sessions said in a letter on Saturday that he would appear before the committee to address matters that Comey brought up last week in testimony to the same panel.

 

He did not say if he would appear in open or closed session. Democrats are pushing for a public hearing. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, an intelligence committee member, asked the panel's leaders in a letter on Sunday to hold an open hearing.

 

Republican Senator James Lankford, a member of the intelligence panel, said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that the decision was not finalised, but "I assume that this will be public."

 

The American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on Sunday: "There is absolutely no reason why the hearing room doors should be shut, cameras turned off, and all American citizens left in the dark when Sessions testifies. Democracy shouldn’t take place behind closed doors."

 

Sessions is skipping a separate hearing on Tuesday on the Justice Department's budget and sending his deputy for the session that will be open to the public.

 

Media reports last week said Sessions offered to resign because of tensions with the president over his decision to recuse himself from the FBI's Russia probe.

 

Comey accused the Republican president of trying to get him to drop the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn and fired him to undermine the Russia probe.

 

Trump himself attributed his dismissal of Comey to the Russia investigation.

 

Comey's testimony on Thursday also raised new questions about the attorney general's relationship with Russian officials with ties to President Vladimir Putin. One is whether Sessions had any undisclosed meetings with Ambassador Sergei Kislyak or other Russians during the campaign or after Trump took office.

 

Sessions in March removed himself from involvement in any probe into alleged Russian election meddling but maintained he did nothing wrong by failing to disclose that he met last year with Russia's ambassador.

 

TRUMP UNDER OATH?

 

Comey's dramatic testimony drew invective from his former boss on Twitter, with Trump dismissing him as a leaker on Friday and a coward on Sunday.

 

"I believe the James Comey leaks will be far more prevalent than anyone ever thought possible. Totally illegal? Very 'cowardly!'" Trump tweeted on Sunday.

 

The president denied trying to interfere with the investigation and said he would be willing to testify under oath about his interactions with Comey.

 

"We have to keep in mind that this is one person's record of what happened. The only two people who know what happened in those meetings are the president and James Comey," Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Fox.

 

Schumer invited Trump to testify under oath before the Senate. "We have the former director of the FBI under oath saying one thing, President Trump saying another," he said on CBS.

 

He also urged Trump to produce any tapes of his conversations with Comey. "If there aren’t tapes, he should let that be known. No more game playing," Schumer said.

 

Trump alluded to tapes in a May tweet. Comey welcomed any tapes during his hearing, and congressional investigators have asked the White House to produce them if they exist.

 

Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said on ABC's "This Week:" "The president said he is going to address the issue of the tapes, whether the tapes exist or not, next week."

 

The president's tendency to bring up the Russia investigation, whether by insulting Comey or suggesting the existence of tapes, has created a headache for members of his party who want to put Republican priorities, including healthcare and tax reform, front and centre.

 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday that Trump was getting in the way of his own agenda.

 

"You may be the first president in history to go down because you can’t stop inappropriately talking about an investigation that if you just were quiet, would clear you," Graham said on CBS. "You are your own worst enemy, Mr. President. Knock it off."

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, Doina Chiacu, Timothy Gardner, Mark Hosenball and David Shepardson; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-12

[darksidedog]

I think we can expect about as much honesty from Sessions as we can from Donald, who has offered to testify, but who I suspect will find a reason not to do so, when the time comes.

[Srikcir]

The first question to Sessions should be,

"You lied under oath before the Senate and on mandatory federal forms. How can anybody believe today any of your answers?"

[Redline]

Well, it's hard enough to remember your lies when you are young.  Good luck to him.  Maybe it will be a "I don't recall" hearing?

[tomacht8]

He also urged Trump to produce any tapes of his conversations with Comey. "If there aren’t tapes, he should let that be known. No more game playing," Schumer said.

So where are the recordings now?
Or just a greasy comedy?
This has nothing to do with responsible politics.
This is kindergarten level.

Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said on ABC's "This Week:" "The president said he is going to address the issue of the tapes, whether the tapes exist or not, next week."

What is this nonsense?
Next week?
BS
A simple question and a simple answer.
Exist tapes yes or no?
Why is this time delay?
Implausible.

Edited June 12, 2017 by tomacht8

[Trouble]

8 hours ago, Srikcir said:

The first question to Sessions should be,

"You lied under oath before the Senate and on mandatory federal forms. How can anybody believe today any of your answers?"

Sessions contact with the Russian ambassador has been well documented.  Sessions contacts with the ambassador apparently were in conjunction with his roll as a Senator, not as a Trump advisor.  This whole thing is a nothing story contrived to make news for the Democrats.  Sessions recused himself like everyone wanted from the investigation and now it seems like the Democrats want to try to make news trying to tie him to the firing of Comey.  Would one expect him  to have been in the loop since he was Comey's boss and at the least acquiesced to Trumps decision.  This whole story is nothing.  Although many would like to think there is a bigger plot to the Russian investigation, the Flynn investigation, even Trump couldn't possibly think that firing Comey would stop anything.  Trump had already been told by Comey that he was not under investigation for anything. This all was in relation the the point that Trump, probably felt that by getting rid of Flynn in relation to misleading Pence about the nature of the contacts with the Russian ambassador, had solved the problem and wanted the FBI to move on.  I am sure Trump is fed up with the fact that a hundred of investigators have been on these things for months without being able to conclude the investigations one way or another.  After all how long does it take to interview the individuals concerned, gather information and conclude things.  The investigation of Flynn is on one man and his business.  In essence the nature of the Flynn investigation is about whether he was or was not properly registered as a foreign agent and whether or not he filed the forms properly and whether there was any intent on misleading when filling out the forms.  Does it really take all these months to determine if there is a case to prosecute or not?  Seems like Sessions and Trump are willing to testify on the Comey matter so let's get on with this.  Problem is the Democrats don't want this to go away as it allows them to keep all the doubts about people in the news and reinforces their narrative that no one in the Trump Administration can be trusted. Seems like the FBI surely has Flynn's calls but that really is not part of their investigation. They are not apparently investigation Sessions or Trump for anything at all so seemingly nothing illegal seems to have occurred.  This all seems so political as to be ludicrous. America is so divided now that it will take 50 years to heal the divide, if it can be done.  Many see Trump as the problem but eight years of Obama and his total disregard for half of the country as he pushed forward his agenda is what caused the Trump win last November.  We have probably now have a permanently divided country with no hope of reconciliation in my lifetime.  Certainly not the America in which I grew up where outright hate has replaced mostly peaceful descent and constructive dialogue.

[selftaopath]

22 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I think we can expect about as much honesty from Sessions as we can from Donald, who has offered to testify, but who I suspect will find a reason not to do so, when the time comes.

Yea .... one lies and the other swears to it. I'm not sure who I consider dumber 45 or his appointed (all of them).

[mikebike]

10 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

He also urged Trump to produce any tapes of his conversations with Comey. "If there aren’t tapes, he should let that be known. No more game playing," Schumer said.

So where are the recordings now?
Or just a greasy comedy?
This has nothing to do with responsible politics.
This is kindergarten level.

Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said on ABC's "This Week:" "The president said he is going to address the issue of the tapes, whether the tapes exist or not, next week."

What is this nonsense?
Next week?
BS
A simple question and a simple answer.
Exist tapes yes or no?
Why is this time delay?
Implausible.

It takes a while to send the tapes to Russia to have one of their experts doctor them to 45's liking... ; )

[simple1]

10 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

He also urged Trump to produce any tapes of his conversations with Comey. "If there aren’t tapes, he should let that be known. No more game playing," Schumer said.

So where are the recordings now?
Or just a greasy comedy?
This has nothing to do with responsible politics.
This is kindergarten level.

Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said on ABC's "This Week:" "The president said he is going to address the issue of the tapes, whether the tapes exist or not, next week."

What is this nonsense?
Next week?
BS
A simple question and a simple answer.
Exist tapes yes or no?
Why is this time delay?
Implausible.

Media has announced, via a FOI request, Secret Service says there are no tapes / recordings. As you say very childish games by Trump

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/secret-service-has-no-audio-recordings-or-transcripts-made-in-trump-white-house-1497291979

[selftaopath]

45 and his lecherous defenders e.g. RussiaReps aka republicans are speculating silencing Mueller. Then what America? Has 45 taken over our democracy entirely? Is America doomed to having a dictator?

[Ramen087]

The likely outcome of testimony will be...

 

Q. Mr Sessions, what can prove or show documentation of...blah blah blah

A. Well, I know a lot but I cannot prove any of what I know...blah blah blah

 

As informative as Charlie Brown's elementary school teacher...

 

[Thakkar]

12 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

He also urged Trump to produce any tapes of his conversations with Comey. "If there aren’t tapes, he should let that be known. No more game playing," Schumer said.

So where are the recordings now?
Or just a greasy comedy?
This has nothing to do with responsible politics.
This is kindergarten level.

Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said on ABC's "This Week:" "The president said he is going to address the issue of the tapes, whether the tapes exist or not, next week."

What is this nonsense?
Next week?
BS
A simple question and a simple answer.
Exist tapes yes or no?
Why is this time delay?
Implausible.

 

Trump thinks he's still starring in a reality tv show. Tune in next week!

He did this with the SCOTUS appointment and that turned out to be, like in so many reality tv shows, an anti climax.

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, Trouble said:

Sessions contact with the Russian ambassador has been well documented.  Sessions contacts with the ambassador apparently were in conjunction with his roll as a Senator, not as a Trump advisor.  

If as you say that his contacts were allegedly well documented, then Sessions knowingly and blatantly lied about not having such contacts. Sessions could have replied honestly and truthfully to tell the WHOLE truth and NOTHING but the truth in his oath before Congress. If he was concerned about making truthful statements, he can add any clarification to his reply.

Instead Sessions chose to lie. Period.

[lovelomsak]

I think the whole thing is the pot calling the kettle black. Obama had close ties with Russia. Maybe wants to hid behind attacking Trump. 

Just got this from Yahoo news

Obama was pressed by a similar situation in 2013, after evidence surfaced that Assad violated Obama's "red line" by using chemical weapons. Instead of following through on his threat to hit Assad in response, Obama agreed to let Russia step in and deal with the chemical-weapons stockpile.

 Obama went to Russia for help and Trump is same situation used American missiles to make his point.

 Who really is in bed with Russia.

Edited June 13, 2017 by lovelomsak

[pegman]

9 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

I think the whole thing is the pot calling the kettle black. Obama had close ties with Russia. Maybe wants to hid behind attacking Trump. 

Just got this from Yahoo news

Obama was pressed by a similar situation in 2013, after evidence surfaced that Assad violated Obama's "red line" by using chemical weapons. Instead of following through on his threat to hit Assad in response, Obama agreed to let Russia step in and deal with the chemical-weapons stockpile.

 Obama went to Russia for help and Trump is same situation used American missiles to make his point.

 Who really is in bed with Russia.

The Republican Congress in mass stated at the time they would not authorize Obama going to war. So now it's his fault? Get serious man!

[Berkshire]

13 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

I think the whole thing is the pot calling the kettle black. Obama had close ties with Russia. Maybe wants to hid behind attacking Trump. 

Just got this from Yahoo news

Obama was pressed by a similar situation in 2013, after evidence surfaced that Assad violated Obama's "red line" by using chemical weapons. Instead of following through on his threat to hit Assad in response, Obama agreed to let Russia step in and deal with the chemical-weapons stockpile.

 Obama went to Russia for help and Trump is same situation used American missiles to make his point.

 Who really is in bed with Russia.

"Who's really in bed with Russia"....??  Oh oh, you shouldn't have mentioned that....

 

 

[ResandePohm]

16 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

He also urged Trump to produce any tapes of his conversations with Comey. "If there aren’t tapes, he should let that be known. No more game playing," Schumer said.

So where are the recordings now?
Or just a greasy comedy?
This has nothing to do with responsible politics.
This is kindergarten level.

Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said on ABC's "This Week:" "The president said he is going to address the issue of the tapes, whether the tapes exist or not, next week."

What is this nonsense?
Next week?
BS
A simple question and a simple answer.
Exist tapes yes or no?
Why is this time delay?
Implausible.

Time is needed to Doctor the tapes