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U.S. Attorney General Questioned In Russia Election Probe


U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been questioned by the special counsel’s office that is investigating potential collusion between Russia and President Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

The Justice Department on January 23 confirmed the interview, the first time that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office is known to have interviewed a member of Trump's cabinet, saying it took place last week. It gave no further details.

The interview with Sessions, who was an adviser to Trump in the campaign before being appointed as the country’s top law enforcement official, is another serious development in an investigation that has loomed over the first year of Trump's presidency.

Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Russia probe last March after media outlets reported he hadn’t disclosed several meetings in 2016 with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia attempted to interfere in the 2016 presidential election to the benefit of Republican candidate Trump and to the detriment of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Mueller and at least three congressional committees are separately investigating Russian involvement in the election process.

The Kremlin has denied the accusations, and Trump has repeatedly denied that his team colluded with any Russian efforts.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and CNN

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