U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Congress Saturday he will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating Russian interference in last year's presidential election.
"The Senate Intelligence Committee is the most appropriate forum for such matters, as it has been conducting an investigation and has access to relevant, classified information", Sessions explained.
Sessions, who recused himself from the Russian Federation probe in March, had been scheduled to testify before the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees next week.
In letters to the chairmen of the committees, Sessions writes that he will send his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, to the hearing instead.
Sessions recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the election and the possibility of collusion between the Russians and President Trump's campaign after it was revealed that he met twice a year ago with the Russian ambassador to the United States.
But his letter suggests that he expects to face questions about Comey's statements on Thursday about the reasons for Sessions' recusal from the Russian Federation probe. He removed himself after it emerged that he had met at least twice with the Russian ambassador in 2016, though he had testified at his confirmation hearing that he had not had contact with Russians. According to CNN's reporting, Comey told senators in a closed-door session Thursday that Sessions may have had a third interaction with Kisylak that had not been previously disclosed. On Thursday, Comey said in his testimony that Sessions had a third meeting with Kislyak over the course of past year.
In your statement, you said that you and the Federal Bureau of Investigation leadership team decided not to discuss the president's actions with Attorney General Sessions, even though he had not recused himself.
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A Justice department official said the Sessions' hearing will probably be closed to the public, The Washington Post reported.
"We also were aware of facts that I can't discuss in an open setting that would make his continued engagement in a Russia-related investigation problematic", Comey said. Sessions and other administration officials had been in the Oval Office when Trump asked everyone but Comey to leave.
"My impression was, something big is about to happen", Comey said, as he recalled the encounter.
The following day, Sessions recused himself from the Russian Federation probe.
"At one point, Sessions made clear he would be willing to resign if Trump no longer wanted him".
Reports suggesting that USA intelligence discovered an alleged Russian hack of Republican National Committee (RNC) computers during the election campaign emerged yet in late 2016, but no leaks followed.
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