Trump top lawyer to face Russia questions

Comey’s firing will also be on Senate panel’s agenda

Washington, June 13: US attorney general Jeff Sessions’ public testimony before a Senate panel on Tuesday sets up another potentially dramatic hearing on possible ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race.

Mr Sessions will likely face tough questions at the open Senate Intelligence Committee hearing over his dealings with Russian officials during the campaign and whether he had a role in the firing of former FBI Director James Comey.

Until a statement on Monday from committee chairman Richard Burr, a Republican, it had been unclear whether Mr Sessions would testify in an open or closed setting.

Initially, Mr Sessions was expected to testify in a closed-door session, said two sources familiar with the attorney general’s thinking. But he left the decision up to Mr Burr, the sources said.

A Justice Department spokeswoman said that Mr Sessions requested the open setting because “he believes it is important for the American people to hear the truth directly from him.”

Mr Comey had told the same panel last week that the FBI had information in mid-February on Mr Sessions that would have made it “problematic” for the attorney general to continue leading a federal probe into Russian attempts to influence the presidential election.

Mr Sessions had recused himself from that inquiry in March after reports that he had been in two previously undisclosed meetings last year with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak. Tuesday’s testimony, scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. (1830 GMT), will be the first for Mr Sessions in a congressional hearing since he became attorney general. During his nomination hearing in January, the former senator told the Senate Judiciary Committee he had no contacts with Russian officials as part of the Trump campaign.

Mr Sessions is likely to be questioned over the truthfulness of his answers in January.

The committee will also likely ask him about a possible third undisclosed meeting with Mr Kislyak that is now under investigation.

JEFF SESSIONS reportedly met Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak three times during the 2016 presidential campaign, and failed to admit to any of them during his confirmation hearings.