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Attorney general Jeff Sessions agrees to appear before Senate intelligence committee

Jeff Sessions - Ruben R. Ramirez 
Jeff Sessions - Ruben R. Ramirez

Jeff Sessions, the US Attorney General, has agreed to appear before the Senate intelligence committee investigating alleged Russian interference in last year's presidential election.

Mr Sessions  had been due to discuss the Justice Department's budget at the House and Senate's appropriations subcommittees.

But given that that members had signalled their intention to ask him about his links with the Russia, he decided that appearing before the intelligence committee would be preferable.

Mr Sessions, who met Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, twice during the election campaign, has already recused himself from the federal investigation into alleged Russian links with the Republicans.

Last week James Comey, who was fired as FBI director by Donald Trump, accused the president of lying and trying to thwart his investigation.

Mr Sessions, who will appear before the committee on Tuesday, announced his decision in a letter to members of the appropriations sub committees.

"In light of reports regarding Mr. Comey's recent testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, it is important that I have an opportunity to address these matters in the appropriate forum,"  he wrote.

 President Donald Trump and his senior advisor Jared Kushner - Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
President Donald Trump and his senior advisor Jared Kushner Credit: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

US Senators had set their sights on  the President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner as their next star witness.

The fallout had hardly settled on Mr Comey's bombshell  testimony before members of the intelligence committee said they were planning to grill Mr Kushner about his meetings with Russian officials.

 

Democrats have let it be known that they will use the opportunity to ask about Russia.

At the same time Angus King, a member of the intelligence committee, said Mr Kushner was expected to meet Senators this week to arrange a formal hearing to follow soon.

The senior aide, who is married to Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka, has avoided the public spotlight ensuring his appearance will bring Washington to a halt just as it did on Thursday when Mr Comey appeared.

It also means more headaches for a White House that cannot shake suspicions senior figures colluded with Russian officials trying to sway last year’s presidential election.

Senators will want to know about a number of Mr Kushner’s previously undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador to Moscow, Sergey Kislyak, and with a banker who counts President Vladimir Putin among his close associates.

In particular they will ask about reports Mr Kushner discussed setting up a secret communications channel to the Kremlin to avoid the scrutiny of US intelligence services.

Donald Trump with Sergey Kislyak, Russian ambassador to Washington, in the Oval Office - Credit: TASS
Donald Trump with Sergey Kislyak, Russian ambassador to Washington, in the Oval Office Credit: TASS

During his explosive testimony, Mr Comey was also asked what he knew about Mr Kushner’s relationship with Sergey Gorkov, the banker.

“Nothing that I can talk about in an open setting,” he said, sparking further intrigue.

Lawyers for Mr Kushner say he is happy to co-operate with any probes.

For his part, Mr Trump has denied asking his then FBI director to go ease off his probe into Michael Flynn, who was fired as National Security Adviser in February, or asking him to promise personal loyalty.

He added that he would be “100 per cent” willing to give his account of their meetings in sworn testimony.

Jeanne Zaino, professor of political science at New York's Iona College, said Mr Trump seemed incapable of stonewalling and referring questions to his lawyers.

“This has clearly gotten away from the White House and the President,” she said. “You have all these investigations in the Senate and more importantly the special counsel. This is going to be an endless search.”