AG Sessions will testify in open hearing before Senate Intelligence Committee

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday.

He will face questions about undeclared meetings with Russian officials and the president's firing of the Federal Bureau of Investigation chief.

Sessions recused himself from the inquiry in March after media reports that he had been in two previously undisclosed meetings a year ago with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak.

Later, Comey said he was so uncomfortable that he went to Sessions to "implore" him "to prevent any future direct communication between the President and me".

He called for Sessions to clarify what involvement he had in the Russian Federation probe before his recusal; what "safeguards" are now in place; and why he "felt it was appropriate" to recommend Comey's firing when he was leading that investigation.

During his testimony last week, Comey said he had notes of meetings with Trump in which the president asked him for a pledge of personal loyalty and to drop the Russian Federation investigation as it pertained to former national security adviser Flynn.

Sessions had been set to testify before a budget-related subcommittee on Tuesday but, in letters to key lawmakers, said the intelligence committee that heard from Comey would be the more appropriate venue considering the Russia-related questions.

The meeting came as the White House struggles to advance its agenda amid the investigations into Russia's election meddling and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

"I have not had a discussion with him about that", Spicer said as sources said Trump is still fuming over Sessions' recusal from the federal investigation into potential ties between Trump campaign associates and Russian Federation.

During a press conference on Friday, Mr. Trump said he is willing to testify under oath "100 percent". And if he acknowledges he had some concerns, he will open up a new line of questioning about the conduct of President Trump and his advisers.

A number of members are concerned Sessions may be attempting to avoid testifying in public by scrapping his previously scheduled Senate and House Appropriations appearances this week, where he was expected to be grilled on issues related to the federal investigation into Russia's efforts to influence the US election, several sources say. Sen.

Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy told Judy Woodruff of "PBS NewsHour": "I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel". Feinstein said she was especially concerned after National Intelligence Director Dan Coats and National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers refused to answer questions from the intelligence committee about possible undue influence by Trump. On Saturday, he wrote the chairmen of both committees and said he was sending his deputy attorney general to testify in his place. The matter has dogged the Republican president's early months in office.

If he says yes, it could be an indication there are additional reasons for his recusal, beyond a few meetings with the Russian ambassador, that are not known publicly. In general, do you think outreach to foreign governments should be coordinated with the outgoing administration during a transition?

Comey recalled that he felt "something big" was about to happen, and "my sense was the attorney general knew he shouldn't be leaving".

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who had called for Sessions' testimony to be public, welcomed the open hearing as a "positive step" but said the attorney general should be "forthcoming" regarding "unanswered and troubling questions".