Sessions refused to say whether he and Trump discussed FBI Director James Comey's handling of an investigation into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Russian Federation during the election campaign before the president fired Comey on May 9.
The attorney general recused himself on March 2 after reports emerged that Sessions had twice met with the Russian ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak, during the course of the election, contradicting statements he made during his Senate confirmation hearing, in which he said under oath that he did not have contacts with Russians during the campaign.
Throughout the questioning, Sessions defended himself and refused to discuss any details of conversations he has had with President Trump.
"If any brief interaction occurred in passing with the Russian ambassador during that reception, I do not remember it", Sessions said.
"Further, I have no knowledge of any such conversations by anyone connected to the Trump campaign".
Mr. Trump has consistently dismissed the Russian Federation investigation as a "hoax" and "witch hunt".
"The suggestion that I participated in any collusion.is an appalling and detestable lie", Sessions said. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), "Why did you sign the letter recommending the firing of Director Comey when it violated your recusal?"
Mr Sessions told committee members he could not speak about his discussions with the President concerning Mr Comey, as they were covered under executive privilege.
Comey said the attorney general didn't say anything, but the attorney general's body language "gave me the sense like 'what am I going to do?'".
"He didn't recall this, but I responded to his comment by agreeing that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice needed to be careful to follow department policy regarding appropriate contacts with the White House", Sessions told the panel. "Americans don't want to hear that answers to relevant questions are privileged".
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise shot at congressional baseball practice
Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, tweeted that "my prayers are with my colleague @SteveScalise and anyone else affected this morning". She said the officer had got out of a parked vehicle , drawn a handgun and shouted something to the gunman, who then fired.
Sessions added: "These false attacks, the innuendo, and the leaks, you can be sure, will not intimidate me".
Forty-five percent of voters approve of the job the president is doing, compared to 50 percent who disapprove. When asked for details on his conversation with the president that led to the memo, he claimed he was not able to "discuss" or "confirm or deny the nature of private conversations I may have had with the president on this subject or others". He never, he insisted, knew anything about the Russian Federation probe or had any role in it.
He's been hounded by speculation over the possibility of a third meeting, with Democratic senators calling for an investigation.
"Let me state this clearly: I have never met with or had any conversations with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election", Sessions said.
"I'm not claiming executive privilege, because that's the President's power", Sessions told Sen.
He said that, since his recusal, he had never been given information or details about the Russian Federation investigation.
According to Comey, Trump said of Flynn: "He is a good guy". "Can you tell us what policy it is you're talking about?" she asked. The FBI is part of the Justice Department that Sessions heads.
Sessions recalled leaving Comey and Trump alone in the Oval Office. "You don't walk into hearing or committee meeting and reveal confidential communications with the president of the United States who is entitled to receive conventional communications in your best judgment about a host of issues and have to be accused of stonewalling them". "But that in itself is not problematic. I've not talked to him about it", Sessions responded.
When asked if he would've "headed for the exits" if he'd learned of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government last year while a surrogate last year, Sessions didn't say yes.
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