In light of former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James B. Comey's testimony last week, Sessions was expected to get many questions from lawmakers about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 election campaign. But on Saturday, after senators made clear they would zero in on Sessions's connections to Russia, Sessions shifted his plan, opting to address the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Sessions came off particularly badly in last Thursday's testimony by fired FBI Director James Comey, leading Dan Rather to label him a "marked man".
It later came out in closed session questioning that Sessions had yet another meeting with Russian ambassador to the US and purported spymaster Sergey Kislyak.
On Comey's accusations that Trump pressed him to drop the FBI investigation of his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, Bharara said "no one knows right now whether there is a provable case of obstruction" of justice.
"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", the letter stated.
Sessions has been dogged by questions about possible additional encounters with the ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.
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Still, the Pentagon has been developing contingency plans in case there's any interruption, defense officials said. Customers are seen shopping at the al-Meera market in the Qatari capital Doha , June 10, 2017.
Reed said he was concerned that Sessions had recommended Comey be fired even after he had recused himself from Russia-related matters.
Originally, Sessions was to testify Tuesday before the House and Senate subcommittees that oversee his department's budget but, as the AG wrote in his letter to the chairman of the subcommittee, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will be stepping in for him.
Trump asked Sessions, along with other members of the Trump administration, to leave him and Comey alone after a counter-terrorism briefing February 14, one day after national security adviser Michael Flynn was sacked. Comey declined to elaborate in an open setting.
Briefing congressional appropriators on the Justice Department's budget is a critical part of the attorney general's job. The fact that Sessions would delegate that task showed the Russian Federation investigation was distracting him from his core duties. "The Washington Post and USA Today report that Sessions' appearance is expected to be closed". Comey testified in public and then met with the committee in a closed session to discuss matters touching on classified information.
Sessions had planned to appear before the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees, but the deputy attorney general will take his place, the letter said.
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