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Sessions Recalls Adviser Mentioning Contacts With Russia

Attorney general has previously said he knew of no such contacts

By Aruna Viswanatha and Byron Tau Updated Nov. 14, 2017 6:44 p.m. ET
https://www.wsj.com/articles/jeff-sessions-to-face-questions-over-trump-campaigns-russia-contacts-1510655401

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday that he now recalls a 2016 meeting with a Trump campaign adviser at which the aide spoke about contacts with Russians, after earlier saying he knew of no such contacts.

Mr. Sessions’ comments, in an appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, highlighted the challenges facing investigators, lawmakers and others in assembling a precise account of the communications between Trump campaign officials and people connected to the Russian government.

In a five-hour appearance that became combative at times, Mr. Sessions defended his changing statements, blaming a turbulent campaign and faulty memory for his failure to recall contacts that two former Trump campaign advisers have disclosed in recent weeks.

“None of you had a part in the Trump campaign,” Mr. Sessions told committee members. “And it was a brilliant campaign, I think, in many ways. But it was a form of chaos every day from day one.”

Mr. Sessions, a former senator from Alabama, served as a senior adviser to the Trump campaign on national-security issues, and he has been dogged by the continuing investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. Russia has denied meddling in the election, and Mr. Trump and his team have said their campaign didn’t collude with the Kremlin.

While Democrats pressed Mr. Sessions on the Russian contacts, Republicans hounded him on different issues, including the investigation into former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s email use. Several GOP lawmakers urged the attorney general to appoint a special counsel to examine the Justice Department’s previous actions on that investigation, as well as allegations involving the Clinton Foundation. On Monday, the Justice Department told the lawmakers in a letter that “senior federal prosecutors” were evaluating the concerns and would make recommendations on any potential investigations or a possible special counsel.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) asked: “What’s it going to take to get a special counsel?” Mr. Jordan said the handling of the Clinton investigations by the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation raised enough concerns that it “looks like” they warrant a special counsel.

“It would take a factual basis that meets the standards of the appointment of a special counsel,” Mr. Sessions responded, adding, “I would say ‘looks like’ is not enough basis to appoint a special counsel.”

But much of the hearing was dominated by questions about the Russian contacts, weeks after Trump campaign foreign-policy advisers Carter Page and George Papadopoulos said they had informed Mr. Sessions about contacts or interactions with Russians during the campaign. Mr. Sessions has several times testified before the Senate that he was unaware of any contacts between Russians and campaign officials.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) referred to a media interview Mr. Sessions gave in which he criticized Mrs. Clinton for saying she didn’t remember details about her email use. “You also stated in that Lou Dobbs interview that the intentional failure to remember can constitute perjury,” Mr. Jeffries said. “Do you still believe that the intentional failure to remember can constitute a criminal act?”

Mr. Sessions said his story didn’t change. “We’ve added things that I did not recall at the time, but my statement at the time was my best recollection,” Mr. Sessions said. Mr Dobbs is a Fox Business Network host.

Several Republicans came to Mr. Sessions’ defense after his testimony.

“It’s regrettable any time somebody doesn’t remember something that may have been said or done 18 months earlier,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.). “I think what’s important is that I didn’t see any material wrongdoing.”

Mr. Issa added that the attorney general was “burning the candle at three or four ends” during the campaign in his multiple roles as a top Trump campaign surrogate and a U.S. senator from Alabama.

Mr. Papadopoulos, a campaign adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, told law-enforcement officials that he was in a March 31, 2016, meeting with Mr. Sessions where he suggested setting up a meeting between Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Separately, Mr. Page testified this month that he told Mr. Sessions at a dinner in the summer of 2016 that he was traveling to Russia, where he gave a speech at a university in Moscow. During that visit, Mr. Page met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

Mr. Sessions said Tuesday that he now remembers the March 2016 meeting. He also said that while he has no reason to doubt Mr. Page’s testimony, he doesn’t recall his presence at the separate dinner.

“I have been asked to remember details from a year ago, such as who I saw on what day, in what meeting, and who said what when,” Mr. Sessions said. “In all of my testimony, I can only do my best to answer your questions as I understand them and to the best of my memory.”

—Del Quentin Wilber contributed to this article.

Write to Aruna Viswanatha at [e-mail] and Byron Tau at [e-mail]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/jeff-sessions-to-face-questions-over-trump-campaigns-russia-contacts-1510655401