Atty. General Jeff Sessions To Face Senate Panel Over Russia Probe
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – On Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will face a Senate panel investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Testimony last week from former FBI Director James Comey raised additional questions about Sessions own contact with the Russians and his involvement in the director's firing.
President Donald Trump sat down with his cabinet Monday including Sessions.
"Mr. President, it is great to be here and celebrate this group," said Sessions during the meeting.
Sessions will appear before lawmakers and answer their questions in a public hearing related to the Russia investigation.
"The president has been clear. He wants this to get investigated as soon as possible and be done with this so he can continue with the business of the American people," said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Sessions was scheduled to testify about the Justice Department's budget before a different committee on Tuesday but after realizing most of the questions would be about the fired FBI director and Russia, Sessions said instead he'll testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation back in March after admitting he had not disclosed two meetings with the Russian ambassador in 2016.
James Comey suggested there might be more to it than that during his testimony last week.
"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," said Comey.
President Trump is disputing much of Comey's testimony and said he's willing to give his own version of events under oath.
Sessions himself requested Tuesday's hearing be public. The White House said whether or not the attorney general may invoke executive privilege will depend on the scope of lawmakers' questions.
Check back with cbsmiami.com for a live stream of the hearing on Tuesday.
