All eyes were on Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday as he testified before the Senate intelligence committee less than a week after ousted FBI Director James Comey's testimony.
Not only did she push him to discuss his role in the firing James Comey despite having recused himself from the Russian Federation investigations - "this Russian Federation thing" being the reason Comey was sacked - Senator Dianne Feinstein also made it clear that Mr Sessions' choice to avoid answering some questions when he could just say no says a lot. But Democrats on the Senate panel are likely to press him on issues such as his contacts with Russian Federation and his role in the dismissal of Comey - who led the FBI's probe on Russian Federation until he was ousted.
Sessions said he agreed with firing Comey, and said he thought that before deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein recommended he be fired.
Sessions, a close Trump adviser during the battle for the presidency, said in his opening statement that it was a "detestable and appalling lie" to suggest he was aware of or participated in any collusion between Russian Federation and the Trump campaign.
But he refused to discuss the reports "because I know nothing about the investigation".
In this hearing, she asked Sessions what was his legal basis for refusing to answer questions about his communications with President Trump.
"I don't believe I had any conversation with any Russian businessman or Russian nationals, although a lot of people were at the convention", Sessions said.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is contradicting fired Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey's testimony about his concerns over a meeting he had with Trump.
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Sessions' clash with the Democratic senators was the latest chapter in a saga that has dogged Trump in his first five months as president and distracted from his domestic policy agenda including major healthcare and tax cut initiatives.
"I did not do so", Sessions replied.
Wyden said Sessions' answer "doesn't pass the smell test". But Sessions recused himself from the Russian Federation investigation in March after the revelations of the two Kislyak meetings.
From left, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, listen as Vice President Mike Pence, right, speaks during a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Monday, June 12, 2017, in the Cabinet Ro.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has appeared at a high-stakes hearing about whether he intentionally misled Congress as a Senate panel probes alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
"Why don't you tell me", what those accusations are, Mr Sessions said to Oregon Senator Ron Wyden. "That is false", Mr Sessions said. Comey's firing was recommended by last month-raising questions about whether he violated his recusal from the investigation into Trump campaign ties to Russian Federation. The Justice Department has denied that, saying Sessions stressed to Comey the need to be careful about following appropriate policies. Sessions says he was there for a speech by then-candidate Donald Trump and members of Sessions' staff were also in attendance.
The attorney general also dodged numerous questions, arguing that he "cannot and will not violate my duty to protect the confidential communications I have with the president", Sessions said.
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