Sessions discussed Trump campaign-related matters with Russian ambassador, U.S. intelligence interce
Source: Washington Post
Full title: Sessions discussed Trump campaign-related matters with Russian ambassador, U.S. intelligence intercepts show
Russias ambassador to Washington told his superiors in Moscow that he discussed campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow, with Jeff Sessions during the 2016 presidential race, contrary to public assertions by the embattled attorney general, according to current and former U.S. officials.
Ambassador Sergey Kislyaks accounts of two conversations with Sessions then a top foreign policy adviser to Republican candidate Donald Trump were intercepted by U.S. spy agencies, which monitor the communications of senior Russian officials both in the United States and in Russia. Sessions initially failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak and then said that the meetings were not about the Trump campaign.
One U.S. official said that Sessions who testified that he has no recollection of the April encounter has provided misleading statements that are contradicted by other evidence. A former official said that the intelligence indicates that Sessions and Kislyak had substantive discussions on matters including Trumps positions on Russia-related issues and prospects for U.S.-Russia relations in a Trump administration.
Sessions has said repeatedly that he never discussed campaign-related issues with Russian officials and that it was only in his capacity as a U.S. Senator that he met with Kislyak.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-discussed-trump-campaign-related-matters-with-russian-ambassador-us-intelligence-intercepts-show/2017/07/21/3e704692-6e44-11e7-9c15-177740635e83_story.html
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)need help getting that knife out of ur back?
Docreed2003
(16,900 posts)It's almost as if....Trumo knew this was coming! Lmao, how about them apples Jeff?? Your boss shit on you two days ago and you took it, and this is the thanks you get. Lmfao....
deminks
(11,022 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)He'll destroy every one of them when they outlive their usefulness or whenever putin wants to see the US flip out.
bitterross
(4,066 posts)Chaos serves Putin and the GOP agenda very well.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,134 posts)mobeau69
(11,167 posts)The Shit just keeps on coming!
janx
(24,128 posts)that there are sources talking to the Post who are aware of how anxious the American people are about all of this. So they leak what they can safely leak.
pnwmom
(109,024 posts)They put this story out in order to increase the pressure on Sessions to resign. Whoever is appointed to replace him won't have to recuse him or herself from overseeing Mueller's probe -- so Mueller would be brought under Justice Dept. control.
pnwmom
(109,024 posts)So maybe it was an easy story for WA Post -- they got it handed to them by the DT team.
TxDemChem
(1,918 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)pnwmom
(109,024 posts)who would not be recused from the Mueller probe.
George II
(67,782 posts)pnwmom
(109,024 posts)then the Special Counsel would be reporting to the new AG.
A special counsel doesn't have the independence or freedom that Ken Starr did. Ken Starr answered to no one. Mueller would answer to the new AG.
MrPurple
(985 posts)E
gldstwmn
(4,575 posts)fingerprints all over it. Meanwhile Junior and Manafort get to testify in private. We're being played I'm afraid. It's become abundantly clear this week.
jpak
(41,760 posts)They are two-faced and will smile as they gentlemanly stab you in the back.
Clue - I spent most of my adult life in the Deep South and half my relatives were born and live there.
Enoki33
(1,589 posts)whether perceived or not. Sessions displayed some of that when he was defending his so called honor. I wouldn't be surprised if he thought trump deliberately backed up the dirty bus wheels over him for there to be a way of him striking back.
jpak
(41,760 posts)and a liar - he has no honor.
FarPoint
(12,481 posts)Well..he never owned up to this fact ...
Mrs. Overall
(6,839 posts)How can the attorney general be continuously caught lying and breaking the law?
We are in crazy land.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)wagging his finger at our city, which is a designated "Sanctuary City". And yup, there were protestors out there too!
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/philadelphia/105819-sessions-calls-for-end-to-sanctuary-cities-in-philly-speech-mayor-top-cop-protesters-disagree-photos
Mrs. Overall
(6,839 posts)sheshe2
(84,057 posts)AG Dracula....bloodsucker.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)sheshe2
(84,057 posts)Miles Archer
(18,837 posts)Was he there? I don't know. He could have been. There were a lot of people there! But we didn't have a meeting! If he was there, we didn't actually meet, and if we did, I don't remember it.
thesquanderer
(12,000 posts)...that Kislyaks accounts of the conversations would NOT be monitored by American intelligence, so as easily to contradict any false testimony.
I would not be surprised if Mueller et al have much more that they can't say, simply because by even saying that they know things, they let the Russians know that certain things are being monitored. That may be one of the obstacles to indictment/prosecution of all this stuff.
OliverQ
(3,363 posts)Rule of law is dead in this country.
I'm freakin tired. Can we have a reset button?
riversedge
(70,441 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,651 posts)If he helped the Donald out in so many ways why does he insult Sessions so much. I thought in comparison he has done more to help him than hurt him. Recusing himself from the Russian investigations and Comey crap is the only really negative "bad" thing he did to piss the Donald off.
Mrs. Overall
(6,839 posts)I don't think either one is the loyal sort.
mobeau69
(11,167 posts)DC is leaking like a seive. It's Christmas in July!
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)if you worship the ground he walks on and agrees with everything he says. The moment you deviate, you're finished.
gldstwmn
(4,575 posts)as a sacrificial lamb right now. I have no Idea how this is going to play out.
magicarpet
(14,208 posts)tr-dump thought Sessions would watch tr-dump's back as job one for Sessions. As if Sessions was just another rabid insane private attorney for tr-dump. Sessions always on the lookout out and ear to the ground looking and waiting to head off legal issues coming tr-dump's way.
tr-dump intended to financially rape and pillage the US treasury to enrich himself in grand style, to include his family and crony friends - riches beyond all imagination. Sessions was to keep the oversight, ethics, justice at bay at every bend and turn so team tr-dump could walk away scot-free with all the treasure and plunder.
Once Session got caught lying during his confirmation hearings he panicked and immediately recused himself.
Once Sessions recused himself and was out of the loop to defend and protect tr-dump from his myriad of legal problems - Sessions was now useless to tr-dump and resented Sessions because he spoiled tr-dump's fool proof plan to head off any legal issues about to come tr-dump's way.
BigmanPigman
(51,651 posts)"An eye for an eye" is justified.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)since he is up to his eyeballs in Russia himself.
green917
(442 posts)This is all about getting mueller reigned in. If sessions quits, 45 can choose a new AG that won't be forced to recuse themself from Mueller's investigation and they think they will either be able to fire Mueller or stop his investigation by controlling it at justice.
kairos12
(12,896 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)pnwmom
(109,024 posts)so that DT can nominate someone to replace him, who won't be recused from overseeing Mueller's investigation.
mobeau69
(11,167 posts)Then hell breaks loose.
pnwmom
(109,024 posts)investigation. Sessions had to recuse himself because of his campaign work, but a new Attorney General wouldn't have that problem.
A special counsel doesn't have the same independence to act as Ken Starr. But the law that allowed for Ken Starr expired a long time ago.
mobeau69
(11,167 posts)If he's fired the Senate pukes have to come around and appoint Mueller or his Jarworsky to finish off the Orange Traitor.
pnwmom
(109,024 posts)and Mueller would have to answer to him or her -- or resign.
We wouldn't be better off.
Johnny2X2X
(19,254 posts)Trump wants him to resign so gen can name someone that will fire Mueller.
Solly Mack
(90,800 posts)jalan48
(13,909 posts)Poor Jeffy really thought they were all in on it together.
Amaryllis
(9,527 posts)mobeau69
(11,167 posts)Amaryllis
(9,527 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)Amaryllis
(9,527 posts)done during the day. Then at 5 it takes a couple hours to catch up.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)Amaryllis
(9,527 posts)Don't sleep well if I do.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)mobeau69
(11,167 posts)The Red would know the call was likely to be intercepted.
Either way, it's just another brick in the wall and in the long run hurts Ass Hole.
Duppers
(28,132 posts)Just when Trump needs another excuse to fire sessions.
Think about it. Even Dana Bash (R- CNN) had the same observation.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)any nominee would have to go through the confirmation process and the GOP has been burning through what little credibility they had left... And given the difficulty getting Sessions in, the next nominee may have a rougher time because it will be obvious that Drumpf is shopping for a "yes man".
DeminPennswoods
(15,294 posts)and loyalist. Who could Trump get that'd be better? He can't really pull anyone out of the senate given their slim majority.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)It depends on how clueless Drumpf is and whether Bannon has his ear and tries to force the issue. Seems the somewhat competent folks are fleeing the administration or refusing nomination requests.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)This isn't evidence, really. This is hearsay. I could say that YOU said something, but that doesn't mean you DID say that. Anyone can report that someone else said something.
VERY interesting, the timing.
I wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to get Sessions to quit, so Trump will HAVE to nominate a new one, and will say, "I didn't fire him. I HAVE to name a new AG, since Sessions quit."
Jopin Klobe
(779 posts)1. tRump can't control Sessions or fire him because the Republicans have told him it would be political suicide - for them
2. Only the Attorney General can fire the Special Prosecutor, Mueller, whilst we are in this ball of political crap
3. The Russians know this, so to help tRump, they spill on Sessions putting him in the position of possibly resigning under pressure or tRump believes that he will then be able to fire Sessions because he screwed up - even more
4. tRump appoints another Attorney General and then that flunky then fires Mueller
5. Don't tell me I'm wrong because these idiots are capable(?) of anything ...
mobeau69
(11,167 posts)Bring it on. The pukes will finally have to pick a side; Russia or The United States.
Cosmocat
(14,584 posts)Joy Reid had Charlie Sykes and an ex r congressman on just now, both were completely confident Trump could fire Mueller and the rs would stick behind him.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)and have that person fire Mueller. That appointee would have to be confirmed by the Senate. He would have to find some high level flunky already in DOJ to fire Mueller, Nixon style. Rosenstein can fire Mueller however.
MrPurple
(985 posts)But the blowback from that would be insane.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)and even moreso since Obama's NLRB picks to test the validity of the pro forma sessions, went to the SCOTUS, where they were unanimous in support of that gaveling in every 3 days and that being considered still being "in session".
MrPurple
(985 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)But Sessions WON'T. Sessions is hitting back in not quitting, and his Deputy AG is with him on that.
I'm guessing they feel bamboozled by Trump and are sticking firm.
Once they don't work for Trump, though...I think they can rat on him. Only thing is...if they can rat on him w/o getting themselves in hot water (Sessions, not the Deputy Rosenstein).
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)as is this an issue for many others. When they get you tied into the conspiracy somehow, you're stuck and can't rat without taking yourself down too (unless you can get a plea deal - see Flynn's attempts).
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)All-In
(312 posts)Another traitor bites the dust.
sinkingfeeling
(51,493 posts)Motley13
(3,867 posts)he covers himself, others do the dirty work for him & the POS screws them bigly
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)Is that a NEW conversation? Or an old one from last year?
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)The reference was the Foreign Policy speech at the Mayflower Hotel in April 2016 and then at the RNC Convention in Cleveland in July 2016.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,476 posts)Didn't they *KNOW* after decades in government service in Washington, that the
intelligence agencies listen, record everything as SIGINT (signal intelligence)?
I mean to say, the famous author James Bamford wrote a book about the spy agencies
in the early 1980s. There were no holes in it. You couldn't miss it.
How stupid are these people? This has been like a giant game of I DARE YOU
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)is that much of what they were doing was "business-/financial-/real estate-" related, which had been going on for decades in some cases... And to dissect it and prosecute any wrong-doing required far more resources than either the NY AG or U.S. Attorney for SDNY had available.
However, what has happened is that the TFEE's nefarious underground money-laundering world has now intersected with and infiltrated into the highest levels of government, and the current Mueller investigation happens to have the resources others never had to unwind it and get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, what Mueller's team DOESN'T have is "time" given the threat of his firing hanging over it all. I expect they are well aware of that and have set it up to deal with that eventuality (with various degrees of priorities to report out should it happen).
And actually, there are not that many "senior" members of Congress left out of the 525 total. You hear about the few but the bulk of the House are newer reps along with quite a few Senators. As it is, there was a 63-member turnover in the House after the 2010 election, and more turnover in the elections since. Senior folks like Sessions should have known better but they tend to throw their power around (and caution to the wind) after they have settled in for awhile.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,179 posts)"....has provided misleading statements that are contradicted by other evidence.
I guess only the little people can be charged with purgery
MrPurple
(985 posts)Al only asked him how he would handle it if there was information that people in the administration had colluded with the Russians & Jeff volunteered that he, for one, never had any contact with them.
OliverQ
(3,363 posts)Thereby allowing Trump to appoint a yes-man who isn't recused and can end the Russia investigation.
Super shady, unethical, 3rd world fascist stuff going on right now. We're in deep trouble.
TomCADem
(17,390 posts)...Republicans are going to run with story line that Hillary Clinton conspired with the Russians to sabotage her own campaign.
Skid Rogue
(711 posts)to high heaven. Sergey Kislyak is known as a spy recruiter. He knows his phones are tapped. Kislyak is just going to accidentally incriminate Jeff Sessions? Please!
We're talking about the attorney general. This would be totally crazy code word intelligence delivered on a street corner by a man in an blue jacket.
TomCADem
(17,390 posts)...the timing of the leak regarding the intercepts is on the Trump administration. They are trying to force Sessions to resign so that Trump can appoint a new AG who is willing to fire Mueller. Otherwise, Trump has to start firing DOJ members before he finds his own Robert Bork.
orangecrush
(19,662 posts)Where it belongs.
K&R
titaniumsalute
(4,742 posts)Who woulda thunk it?
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)as they colluded with the evil empire* of russia to enable ACTS OF WAR** against America is breathtaking. How foul. How heinously foul to betray America this way.
* per ronald reagan
** per dick cheney, for god's sake (includes ongoing russian hacking of our nation's power grid, nuclear facilities, and electoral system)
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Who was that man, the press caught coming out of the Embassy and he refused to say why he was there?
Jakes Progress
(11,124 posts)at the G20.
trump: Hey. I need to get rid of sessions so that I can pack the government like you do.
putin: No sweatski. I'll get out guy to call and say sessions talked about collaborating before the election. You guys get all those calls on tape.
trump: But wouldn't that mean there's more stuff about how we worked with you.
putin: So? You got your stoolies in the senate and house. You're packing the judiciary. Everyone knows we did this together. Just talk about Mexicans and fake media. Your senseless dogs will be lapping it up. In 2018 we can run the tests with the new voter information you give us to give you both houses again and set up for jarred run in 2020. As long as the republicans would rather have a russian stooge in power rather than let a Democrat win anything, we're set.
lark
(23,191 posts)It makes sense, so hopefully it's true, they have him dead to rights.