Mueller Team Talks to Member of Trump's Cabinet: Sessions

'New York Times' was first to report the news
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 23, 2018 9:57 AM CST
Jeff Sessions Interviewed for Hours by Mueller Team
In this Dec. 15, 2017, file photo, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed for hours last week in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the Justice Department confirmed Tuesday. The interview comes as Mueller is investigating whether President Trump's actions in office, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, constituted obstruction of justice. Mueller is also investigating contacts between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia. Sessions is thought to be the highest-ranking Trump administration official to be interviewed by Mueller's team—the New York Times calls the interview the first to touch Trump's Cabinet—and is seen as a potentially important witness given that Trump initially said he fired Comey last May at the recommendation of the Justice Department, reports the AP.

At the time, the White House released a memo from Sessions' deputy, Rod Rosenstein, faulting Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation and appearing to lay the groundwork for his dismissal. Trump has since said he was thinking of "the Russia thing" when he fired Comey. The Times was the first to report news of the interview, and the paper notes that in recusing himself from the Russia investigation, Sessions was left with "no control of Mr. Mueller." CNN reports the interview took place last Wednesday and notes Sessions had not been subpoenaed. It adds that press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed Sessions was at the White House Monday, but she said she was unaware whether he and Trump spoke of the interview.

(More Jeff Sessions stories.)

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