By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
Pressure is mounting on Republicans to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Russia’s role in the election after a bombshell revelation that Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke twice with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. during the election and lied about it during his confirmation hearing.
The Washington Post and New York Times reported that then-Sen. Sessions had a private conversation with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in September, which was the peak of what intelligence officials said was a Russia cyber campaign to disrupt the U.S. presidential race.
During the campaign, Sessions was a top surrogate for the Trump campaign.
Sessions followed up with a statement Wednesday night: “I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about.”
The latest revelation prompted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to concede that if Sessions spoke with a Russian diplomat, “then for sure you need a special prosecutor.”
Constitutional law expert Laurence Tribe said on Twitter it appears Sessions committed perjury for lying to Congress.
“Looks like it to me: it was a knowing & deliberate falsehood made under oath on a clearly pertinent matter.”