Here are 4 key questions Jeff Sessions could face at his upcoming Senate testimony
Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday about Russia. Sessions’ decision came as a surprise to senators, and means we’re staring down yet another week consumed by Russia-related allegations against the president and his allies.
Sessions will certainly face questions about his involvement in James Comey's firing and President Donald Trump's alleged interference in the FBI investigation into Michael Flynn. He could also be asked about a report that Comey, the former FBI director, told senators Sessions may have had a third undisclosed meeting with the Russian ambassador.
Democrats are demanding the testimony be public. They contend that Sessions has nothing classified to share and needs to answer to allegations posed by Comey.
Sessions’ testimony comes at a low point in the relationship between the president and attorney general. Sessions reportedly offered to resign after his recusal from the Russia investigation enraged Trump. Now, the attorney general's answers could lead to further frenzied parsing of answers delivered to the intelligence committee.
Here are four questions Sessions could face:
• How many times did you meet with the Russian ambassador? (Some Democrats contend Sessions has already perjured himself on this answer. They may seek another opportunity to bring down Trump's attorney general.)
• Why did you participate in Comey's firing if you had recused yourself from the Russia investigation? (It’s a question posed by Comey himself last week and, with Sessions testifying under oath, one that could implicate Trump.)
• Did you know the president was going to ask Comey to halt the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn? (If Sessions distances himself from the president on this point, it will make Trump look more isolated in his push to meddle in the investigation.)
• Comey hinted at "problematic" connections between Sessions and Russia. What are they? (An answer to this question could further fuel claims that Sessions, a member of Trump's inner circle, has ties to the Russian government.)
A final thought: I asked you all last week whether you thought Comey broke the law by leaking his memos of meetings with Trump to the media. He didn't.
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