Sessions did not disclose two Russian envoy meetings

[Meathead]

Sessions met with Russian envoy twice last year, encounters he later did not disclose

 

Then-Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) spoke twice last year with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Justice Department officials said, encounters he did not disclose when asked about possible contacts between members of President Trump’s campaign and representatives of Moscow during Sessions’s confirmation hearing to become attorney general.

One of the meetings was a private conversation between Sessions and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak that took place in September in the senator’s office, at the height of what U.S. intelligence officials say was a Russian cyber campaign to upend the U.S. presidential race.

The previously undisclosed discussions could fuel new congressional calls for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russia’s alleged role in the 2016 presidential election. As attorney general, Sessions oversees the Justice Department and the FBI, which have been leading investigations into Russian meddling and any links to Trump’s associates. He has so far resisted calls to recuse himself.

When Sessions spoke with Kislyak in July and September, the senator was a senior member of the influential Armed Services Committee as well as one of Trump’s top foreign policy advisers. Sessions played a prominent role supporting Trump on the stump after formally joining the campaign in February 2016.

At his Jan. 10 Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, Sessions was asked by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign.

“I’m not aware of any of those activities,” he responded. He added: “I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-spoke-twice-with-russian-ambassador-during-trumps-presidential-campaign-justice-officials-say/2017/03/01/77205eda-feac-11e6-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html?utm_term=.b16bfe7983d5

these guys are so fkd

the intelligence community is starting to release these damning bits of information now with regularity. other reports indicate theres a LOT more where that came from

ten months, actually nine months now, is my prediction when republicans will officially turn on the don. might not even take that long

edit: god i did it again and posted a link to these forums instead of the story. whytf do i keep doing that? at least you guys didnt notice this time

Edited March 2, 2017 by Meathead

[Nanker]

You're late to the party meatball.

You gotta get up pretty early in the morning if you're gonna try to scoop the great PastaGiussepi !

[PastaJoe]

Always good to have multiple sources, Meathead. The next question is, given that Reince Priebus said they investigated and found no one connected to the Trump campaign spoke to the Russians, was he lying or was he deceived by Sessions ala the VP and Flynn. Either excuse is not good for the already poor credibility of the administration.

 

Keep pulling the threads...

[meazza]

Always good to have multiple sources, Meathead. The next question is, given that Reince Priebus said they investigated and found no one connected to the Trump campaign spoke to the Russians, was he lying or was he deceived by Sessions ala the VP and Flynn. Either excuse is not good for the already poor credibility of the administration.

 

Keep pulling the threads...

 

[Meathead]

well i might not have been first but i think its pretty obvious this needed its own thread. these are the kinds of things that bring administrations down, and its likely only going to continue to get worse from here

 

the don has made enemies of the press and his own intelligence community. i hate the press too but combining those two as adversaries is a recipe for utter disaster for a president

[GG]

This is where Sessions will pull a favorite out of the Dems' basket. The communication he had with the Russians was part of his Senate office, and had nothing to do with his role in the Trump campaign.

[Tiberius]

Love how they are drip...drip...dripping this info out. As soon as the administration claims this has all blown over another leak drips out. There is probably tons more ready to come out in a drip drip manner.

[TakeYouToTasker]

well i might not have been first but i think its pretty obvious this needed its own thread. these are the kinds of things that bring administrations down, and its likely only going to continue to get worse from here

 

the don has made enemies of the press and his own intelligence community. i hate the press too but combining those two as adversaries is a recipe for utter disaster for a president

 

It is standard operating procedure for sitting members of the Armed Services Committee to speak with ambassadors of other nations. Sessions spoke with ambassadors of 25 different nations last year, and the contacts he had with the Russians were not as surrogates for the Trump administration. There was no Trump administration at that point. The first contact was in January 2016, and the second in September 2016.

 

Is your assertion that Sessions should have been clairvoyant and stopped doing the job he was elected to do in anticipation that a) Donald Trump would be elected President, and b) that President Trump would then name him AG?

[Tiberius]

 

It is standard operating procedure for sitting members of the Armed Services Committee to speak with ambassadors of other nations. Sessions spoke with ambassadors of 25 different nations last year, and the contacts he had with the Russians were not as surrogates for the Trump administration. There was no Trump administration at that point. The first contact was in January 2016, and the second in September 2016.

 

Is your assertion that Sessions should have been clairvoyant and stopped doing the job he was elected to do in anticipation that a) Donald Trump would be elected President, and b) that President Trump would then name him AG?

You seriously don't think this guy should be in charge of the investigation into Russian interference in the election? You are not that partisan are you?

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz on Thursday morning said Attorney General Jeff Sessions should recuse himself from the investigation into ties between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russian officials, joining a growing number of Republicans calling for such a move.

“AG Sessions should clarify his testimony and recuse himself,” Chaffetz tweeted, after a series of reports spilled out about Sessions meeting twice with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak last year, while Sessions served as a chief adviser to Trump’s campaign. Sessions, during his confirmation hearing, had testified that he did not have communications with the Russians during Trump’s campaign.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/chaffetz-sessions-russia-probe-235603

[The Big Cat]

 

It is standard operating procedure for sitting members of the Armed Services Committee to speak with ambassadors of other nations. Sessions spoke with ambassadors of 25 different nations last year, and the contacts he had with the Russians were not as surrogates for the Trump administration. There was no Trump administration at that point. The first contact was in January 2016, and the second in September 2016.

 

Is your assertion that Sessions should have been clairvoyant and stopped doing the job he was elected to do in anticipation that a) Donald Trump would be elected President, and b) that President Trump would then name him AG?

Well that's a point nobody is making.

[Bob in Mich]

It seems the course of Sessions' denials is similar to Flynn's course.

1) Nope, never met with the Russians.

2) Oh, you know I did? OK, then what I meant to say is, 'I did meet with them but did not discuss the political campaign.'

3) Oh, you actually know what we talked about? OK, then what I meant to say is, 'I did meet with them, but I don't recall what was discussed.'

 

Denying under oath, when not actually asked by Franken, that he spoke to any Russians was position 1) above. Sessions is at position 2) now.

Edited March 2, 2017 by Bob in Mich

[Chef Jim]

I'll ask the same question here I did in the other thread.

 

What was Sessions' affiliation with the Trump campaign in 2016?

[Tiberius]

I'll ask the same question here I did in the other thread.

 

What was Sessions' affiliation with the Trump campaign in 2016?

Did you pay attention to the election at all?

[The Big Cat]

I'll ask the same question here I did in the other thread.

 

What was Sessions' affiliation with the Trump campaign in 2016?

Why does it matter?

[Chef Jim]

Did you pay attention to the election at all?

Not really.

Why does it matter?

Read the question he was asked.

[GG]

Why does it matter?

 

Because questions are being asked whether anyone in Trump's CAMPAIGN had contact with Russians in 2016.

[The Big Cat]

Not really.

 

Read the question he was asked.

Read the title of the thread.

 

Because questions are being asked whether anyone in Trump's CAMPAIGN had contact with Russians in 2016.

By whom? The repubs saying he should recuse himself for lying under oath?

[Chef Jim]

Read the title of the thread.

So we're only supposed to address the title of threads not the content? That only works in the "Marijuana Cures EVERYTHING!" thread

[The Big Cat]

So we're only supposed to address the title of threads not the content? That only works in the "Marijuana Cures EVERYTHING!" thread

What's there to debate in a thread like that!?

[GG]

Read the title of the thread.

 

By whom? The repubs saying he should recuse himself for lying under oath?

 

Which Repubs are saying that? I've only seen Graham's commentary. And all reports are focusing on Sessions' contact with Kislyak as a campaign surrogate, not chair of Armed Services Committee.

[Bob in Mich]

Chaffetz says Sessions needs to recuse himself

[Meathead]

Love how they are drip...drip...dripping this info out. As soon as the administration claims this has all blown over another leak drips out. There is probably tons more ready to come out in a drip drip manner.

 

thats exactly how administrations fall. the drip, drip, drip is devestating

It seems the course of Sessions' denials is similar to Flynn's course.

1) Nope, never met with the Russians.

2) Oh, you know I did? OK, then what I meant to say is, 'I did meet with them but did not discuss the political campaign.'

3) Oh, you actually know what we talked about? OK, then what I meant to say is, 'I did meet with them, but I don't recall what was discussed.'

 

Denying under oath, when not actually asked by Franken, that he spoke to any Russians was position 1) above. Sessions is at position 2) now.

 

exactly

 

i expect this guy will be toast. the only way he gets out of it is if they can prove this was a standard meeting with a diplomat, including some evidence of the conversation. but the fact that he was asked point blank if he had any contact with russian officials and he didnt offer these meetings up himself will damn him if he doesnt have that kind of clear evidence. flynn did indeed sort of set the standard there, and this will be perceived as along the same lines unless sessions himself can come up with something definitive to counter it

Sessions willing to recuse himself from Russia investigation

 

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said early Thursday that he would be willing to recuse himself from any investigation of Russian involvement in the Trump campaign if it's "appropriate."

"I have said whenever it's appropriate, I will recuse myself," he told NBC News. "There's no doubt about that."

On Thursday morning, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) suggested it would "easier" if Sessions recused himself from any Russia investigations.

"I don't have all the information in front of me, I don't want to pre-judge, but I just think for any investigation going forward, you want to make sure everybody trusts the investigation," McCarthy said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "That there's no doubt within the investigation...I think it would be easier from that standpoint, yes."

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Wednesday said that if the FBI finds any criminal activity related to President Trump campaign aides' alleged contact with Russian officials, then Sessions should step aside for a special prosecutor.

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.), meantime, said he wished Sessions had been "more clear" during the confirmation process about his meetings.

"It gives me some pause that he wasn't more clear about the meeting," Duffy said Thursday morning on CNN's "New Day." "I think as he's going through the campaign with Mr. Trump though, he was acting in his official capacity as a senator, you want to disclose that information and I think it should have been more clear during his confirmation process that he did have the meetings."

Sessions defended himself during his comments with NBC News, saying has never discussed “any political campaigns” with Russian officials. Well, I have not met with any Russians at any time to discuss any political campaigns,” he said. "Those remarks are unbelievable to me and are false. I don’t have anything else to say about that.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/321947-sessions-denies-talking-campaign-with-russia

lol. that last part sounds exactly like flynn just before he resigned

[Tiberius]

Hey Tasker EVER!

 

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/321948-armed-services-committee-dem-our-members-dont-meet-with-russian-ambassadors

 

 

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) on Thursday sought to refute Attorney General Jeff Sessions's claim that his contact with Russia was because he was a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Sessions, a former Republican senator, spoke twice with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential campaign, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.

A Sessions spokesman insisted that the contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak was in his capacity as a member of the Armed Services Committee, not as a surrogate for Trump’s presidential campaign.

But McCaskill, also a member of the committee, tweeted that she has never had contact with the ambassador in her capacity on the Armed Services Committee.

I've been on the Armed Services Com for 10 years.No call or meeting w/Russian ambassador. Ever. Ambassadors call members of Foreign Rel Com.

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 2, 2017

 

[Meathead]

drip

[Tiberius]

Bush's ethics lawyer piles on

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/321936-ethics-lawyer-to-george-w-bush-on-sessions-talks-with-russa

 

Misleading the Senate in sworn testimony about one own contacts with the Russians is a good way to go to jail https://t.co/qH0s6sTMJ9

— Richard W. Painter (@RWPUSA) March 2, 2017

 

 

[Meathead]

drip

[FireChan]

MAGA

[boyst]

I really imagine a room with Bob, big cat, tibs, meathead all sitting in their chair F5ing WaPo every 30 seconds with a stained white tee shirt, no pants and all feverishly masterbaitjng to anything they can find. In the back of the dim lit room is a picture spotlighted of Hillary. In chalk on the wall are all of the popular phrases and hash tags. Not my president. Rape culture. Resist. Hands up don't shoot. Free hat. Black lives matter. And then there is one fully glazed and crusty vagina hat that they found.

 

Their severe case of pleasuring themselves to ignorance has taken them down a dark dark path.

Edited March 2, 2017 by Boyst62

[Tiberius]

I really imagine a room with Bob, big cat, tibs, meathead all sitting in their chair F5ing WaPo every 30 seconds with a stained white tee shirt, no pants and all feverishly masterbaitjng to anything they can find. In the back of the dim lit room is a picture spotlighted of Hillary.

 

Their severe case of pleasuring themselves to ignorance has taken them down a dark dark path.

Funny, the Trump Administration gets in hot water and you turn to a masturbation post. LOL!

[Bob in Mich]

I am not at all surprised your imagination takes you to such perverse places. Character shows

[Deranged Rhino]

I really imagine a room with Bob, big cat, tibs, meathead all sitting in their chair F5ing WaPo every 30 seconds with a stained white tee shirt, no pants and all feverishly masterbaitjng to anything they can find. In the back of the dim lit room is a picture spotlighted of Hillary.

 

Their severe case of pleasuring themselves to ignorance has taken them down a dark dark path.

 

The path of not just wanting the IC manipulate and subvert our democratic republic, but actively cheering for it.

 

Ah, what's the big deal if a bunch of unelected intelligence officers, citing unnamed sources without providing one shred of hard evidence to the people, topple a sitting president...

 

Who cares if our democracy is preserved so long as the left's temper tantrum is sated.

[Nanker]

From the Right Wing Fanatical AltFacts New York Times

 

"the Justice Department acknowledged on Wednesday that Mr. Sessions had twice communicated with the Russian ambassador last year. The first time was in July, at the Republican National Convention, after he gave a speech at an event for ambassadors sponsored by the Heritage Foundation.

Of the Heritage Foundation encounter, a Justice Department official said the Russian ambassador was among a small group of diplomats who approached Mr. Sessions as he was leaving the stage. The ambassadors, the official said, thanked Mr. Sessions for his remarks and invited him to join them at various events they were sponsoring, but he made no commitments to do so.

Of the office visit, the official said, the discussion focused on relations between the United States and Russia and issues the two countries were facing, although the department left open the possibility that there had been “superficial” comments about news related to the election."

 

OMG!!!!!!! The Russians were there!!!!!!!! Shades of Joe McCarthy Batman!!!!!

[meazza]

I am not at all surprised your imagination takes you to such perverse places. Character shows

Well he does jerk off cows.

[keepthefaith]

Shocking, an Ambassador from another nation actually had meetings with elected officials in Washington.

[Tiberius]

From the Right Wing Fanatical AltFacts New York Times

 

"the Justice Department acknowledged on Wednesday that Mr. Sessions had twice communicated with the Russian ambassador last year. The first time was in July, at the Republican National Convention, after he gave a speech at an event for ambassadors sponsored by the Heritage Foundation.

Of the Heritage Foundation encounter, a Justice Department official said the Russian ambassador was among a small group of diplomats who approached Mr. Sessions as he was leaving the stage. The ambassadors, the official said, thanked Mr. Sessions for his remarks and invited him to join them at various events they were sponsoring, but he made no commitments to do so.

Of the office visit, the official said, the discussion focused on relations between the United States and Russia and issues the two countries were facing, although the department left open the possibility that there had been “superficial” comments about news related to the election."

 

OMG!!!!!!! The Russians were there!!!!!!!! Shades of Joe McCarthy Batman!!!!!

Interesting on the "superficial." An admission they talked about the issue.

 

Drip

Shocking, an Ambassador from another nation actually had meetings with elected officials in Washington.

And then committed perjury...

[boyst]

I am not at all surprised your imagination takes you to such perverse places. Character shows

ha. My character? I'm !@#$ing reprehensible.

Funny, the Trump Administration gets in hot water and you turn to a masturbation post. LOL!

I don't think the admin is in hot water. Soooo

[Bob in Mich]

Appreciate the confirmation

[Nanker]

Transcript of the private meeting in Sessions' office with the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak

 

"Welcome Mr. Ambassador, come in. May I call you Sergey?

"Yes, yes of course Mr. Attorney General... oh, excuse me. I meant, Senator Sessions. May I call you Jeff?

"Absolutely! Why with our new arrangement to steal the election from the Democrats, we can dispense with those fussy formalities."

"Great comrade Jeff. Have you seen the results of the election yet?"

"Why Sergey, that would be impossible. The election hasn't happened yet."

"Ha ha ha ha. Good one Jeff. We've managed to stuff the ballot boxes in all 50 states. But we've had a problem in the state of California."

"Problem? What Problem Sergey? We were assured that there would be no problems with your stuffing ballots for President Trump. Ah, I mean Candidate Trump."

"Well it seems we had a new team focused on the California vote and whereas they did stuff the ballot boxes, they inadvertently stuffed them for Mr. Trump's competitor Secretary Clinton."

"What? Why Sergey, will that affect the overall outcome?"

"Not one bit, Jeff. Be assured that the electoral college will vote with a sizable majority for Mr. Trump. We calculate his votes to be in excess of 300."

"Splendid. I feel better now. Say, would you like a vodka? Please excuse my manners, I should have started our meeting with that."

"Not at all Jeff. Sometimes it's better to hear the news first before one gets drunk."

They proceed to down a full handle of Belvedere and the Ambassador gets up to leave.

"Very nice meeting you Sergey. Although I must say I'm so tipsy I might not remember any of this tomorrow."

"Not to worry Jeff. The election is in the bag. In the bag. And don't forget to tell Mr. Trump that we'll take the rooms in Mara Lago for the month of September."

"Will do Sergey. Will do."

 

[/nytimesfromanonymoussources]

[Bob in Mich]

Transcript of the private meeting in Sessions' office with the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak

 

"Welcome Mr. Ambassador, come in. May I call you Sergey?

"Yes, yes of course Mr. Attorney General... oh, excuse me. I meant, Senator Sessions. May I call you Jeff?

"Absolutely! Why with our new arrangement to steal the election from the Democrats, we can dispense with those fussy formalities."

"Great comrade Jeff. Have you seen the results of the election yet?"

"Why Sergey, that would be impossible. The election hasn't happened yet."

"Ha ha ha ha. Good one Jeff. We've managed to stuff the ballot boxes in all 50 states. But we've had a problem in the state of California."

"Problem? What Problem Sergey? We were assured that there would be no problems with your stuffing ballots for President Trump. Ah, I mean Candidate Trump."

"Well it seems we had a new team focused on the California vote and whereas they did stuff the ballot boxes, they inadvertently stuffed them for Mr. Trump's competitor Secretary Clinton."

"What? Why Sergey, will that affect the overall outcome?"

"Not one bit, Jeff. Be assured that the electoral college will vote with a sizable majority for Mr. Trump. We calculate his votes to be in excess of 300."

"Splendid. I feel better now. Say, would you like a vodka? Please excuse my manners, I should have started our meeting with that."

"Not at all Jeff. Sometimes it's better to hear the news first before one gets drunk."

They proceed to down a full handle of Belvedere and the Ambassador gets up to leave.

"Very nice meeting you Sergey. Although I must say I'm so tipsy I might not remember any of this tomorrow."

"Not to worry Jeff. The election is in the bag. In the bag. And don't forget to tell Mr. Trump that we'll take the rooms in Mara Lago for the month of September."

"Will do Sergey. Will do."

 

[/nytimesfromanonymoussources]

 

 

Ah-ha!!! Knew it.

[Deranged Rhino]

Transcript of the private meeting in Sessions' office with the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak

 

"Welcome Mr. Ambassador, come in. May I call you Sergey?

"Yes, yes of course Mr. Attorney General... oh, excuse me. I meant, Senator Sessions. May I call you Jeff?

"Absolutely! Why with our new arrangement to steal the election from the Democrats, we can dispense with those fussy formalities."

"Great comrade Jeff. Have you seen the results of the election yet?"

"Why Sergey, that would be impossible. The election hasn't happened yet."

"Ha ha ha ha. Good one Jeff. We've managed to stuff the ballot boxes in all 50 states. But we've had a problem in the state of California."

"Problem? What Problem Sergey? We were assured that there would be no problems with your stuffing ballots for President Trump. Ah, I mean Candidate Trump."

"Well it seems we had a new team focused on the California vote and whereas they did stuff the ballot boxes, they inadvertently stuffed them for Mr. Trump's competitor Secretary Clinton."

"What? Why Sergey, will that affect the overall outcome?"

"Not one bit, Jeff. Be assured that the electoral college will vote with a sizable majority for Mr. Trump. We calculate his votes to be in excess of 300."

"Splendid. I feel better now. Say, would you like a vodka? Please excuse my manners, I should have started our meeting with that."

"Not at all Jeff. Sometimes it's better to hear the news first before one gets drunk."

They proceed to down a full handle of Belvedere and the Ambassador gets up to leave.

"Very nice meeting you Sergey. Although I must say I'm so tipsy I might not remember any of this tomorrow."

"Not to worry Jeff. The election is in the bag. In the bag. And don't forget to tell Mr. Trump that we'll take the rooms in Mara Lago for the month of September."

"Will do Sergey. Will do."

 

[/nytimesfromanonymoussources]