Jeff Sessions’ Knowledge of Proposed Trump-Putin Meeting Could Contradict Senate Testimony
According to NBC News’ Ken Dilanian, Attorney General Jeff Sessions now apparently recalls rejecting a proposal made by former Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos to arrange a meeting between then-candidate Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the presidential campaign.
However, after Dilanian filed his report, he offered a clarification, adding sources said it is unclear whether Sessions actually recalls the meeting — though he did put the kibosh on the meeting:
Source clarifies: Unclear whether Sessions recalls nixing the Papadopoulos proposal for Trump Putin meeting — though he did do so.
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) November 2, 2017
This, of course, flies in the face remarks made by Sessions during his confirmation hearing in the Senate earlier this year when he said he was not aware of any discussions with Russians “concerning collusion in the election.” Sessions has already had to amend his testimony regarding contacts with Russians as it was revealed he met with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the campaign.
CNN reported earlier today that Sessions had come under scrutiny on Capitol Hill over the revelations that he nixed Papadopoulos’s plan to set up the meeting, something that came out following Papadopoulos’s guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his Russia ties.
As Dilanian reported, members of Congress now want Sessions to testify again and clarify his remarks. Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti would also weigh in, stating that “it is interesting how federal criminal investigations tend to sharpen one’s memory.”
Watch the clip above, via MSNBC.
[image via screengrab]
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