Democrats thought they had an angle on taking down Donald Trump.
They were going to press Attorney General Jeff Sessions about undisclosed meetings with the Russian Ambassador and his role in the firing of FBI Director Jim Comey.
But things did not go according to plan and the Democrats quickly realized they made a massive mistake.
In former FBI Director Comey’s testimony, he alluded to a third, undisclosed meeting between Sessions and the Russian Ambassador.
The implication was that Sessions was liar and maybe a secret Russian agent.
Sessions came out swinging in his opening statement and destroyed these lies.
Breitbart reports:
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions hit back against any implication of improper meetings with Russian officials in a prepared opening to his testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Tuesday.
“Let me state this clearly colleagues. I have never met with or had any conversation with any Russian or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States,” Sessions told the committee. “Further, I have no knowledge of any such conversations by anyone connected to the Trump campaign.”
He then became more indignant, saying:
The suggestion that I participated in any collusion or that I was aware of any collusion with the Russian government to hurt this country, which I have served with honor for 35 years, or to undermine the integrity of our democratic process, is an appalling and detestable lie.”
He also shot down any implication he had a meeting with the Russian Ambassador at the Mayflower Hotel.
Breitbart reports:
“I did not have any private meetings nor do I recall any conversations with any Russian officials at the Mayflower Hotel. I did not attend any meetings at that event. Prior to the speech, I attended a reception with my staff that included at least two dozen people and President Trump. Though I do recall several conversations I had during that pre-speech reception, I do not have any recollection of meeting or talking to the Russian Ambassador or any other Russian officials. If any brief interaction occurred in passing with the Russian Ambassador during that reception, I do not remember it. After the speech, I was interviewed by the news media, which had gathered as I remember in a different room, and then I left the hotel.”
Sessions also contradicted two of Comey’s false claims.
Comey claimed Sessions stood silently by when Comey expressed concern about contact between him and Trump.
Sessions testified he told Comey that the Justice Department and FBI had to follow proper protocols for White House contacts.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Sessions says he was not silent when FBI director Comey expressed worry on Trump meeting, contradicting Comey testimony.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 13, 2017
Sessions also broke news by revealing that there was a corroborating witness to this encounter – his Chief of Staff.
Comey also claimed he wasn’t made aware of the parameters of Sessions recusal from the Russia investigation.
But Sessions testified that Comey was on an email sent by his Chief of Staff laying out Sessions recusal and how it was to be implemented.
The Department of Justice even released the email which clearly showed Comey was one of the recipients.
Democrats thought they could force Sessions into uncomfortable answers on Russia and the Comey firing that would create political embarrassment.
The only parties embarrassed by the hearing – however – were Democrats and members of the media when their conspiracy theories came crashing down on their heads.
