Sessions Denies Third Meeting With Russian Ambassador

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said during his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee that he had had no undisclosed meetings with Russian officials at a hotel in Washington DC.

The Attorney General’s testimony comes one week after the Senate Intelligence Committee testimony of former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired early on last month.

Sessions, who testified before the Committee on June 13, has admitted to two previous meetings with Russian ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak.

After Sessions admitted to the two meetings, American spy agencies reportedly found intelligence suggesting a possible third, and secret, meeting between the Russian ambassador and Sessions at the Mayflower Hotel.

Sessions reportedly disparaged allegations that he had some connection to possible Russian collusion with the Trump White House, and denounced the allegation that he met with Kislyak at the Mayflower as a “detestable lie,” and “false,” according to KRON.

“I did not have any private meetings nor do I recall any private conversations with any Russian officials at the Mayflower Hotel,” said Sessions during his testimony, according to Los Angeles Times.

Sessions more broadly distanced himself from allegations about possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, according to BBC.

“I have never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election,” stated Sessions, according to Los Angeles Times.

Lawmakers weighed in on the validity of the information gathered by American spies.

“Some of it’s very compelling, and some of its import is unclear to me,” said Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier, according to The New York Times.

Sarah Isgur Flores, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department announced that the Justice Department analyzed the intelligence material in an attempt to corroborate whether or not Sessions met with Kislyak at Mayflower Hotel.

“I’ve watched that video so many times,” said Flores.

Senators and leaders in Congress amped up rhetoric about the possibility of a further meeting.

“There’s one meeting we don’t know about and people would like to know about it,” said Democratic Senator Joe Manchin III.

Sessions both has been involved in the firing of Comey and recused himself an investigation into alleged Russian interference in the presidential election.”If, as the president said, I was fired because of the Russia investigation, why was the attorney general involved in that chain?” said Comey.

“Many have suggested that my recusal is because I felt I was a subject of the investigation myself, that I may have done something wrong,” said Sessions.

“But this is the reason I recused myself. I felt I was required to under the rules of the Department of Justice.”

Sources: BBC, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, KRON/Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr