Jeff Sessions to appear before Senate Intelligence committee on Russia meetings

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Jeff Sessions confirmation hearing

The Latest on President Donald Trump and the investigation into his campaign’s potential ties to Russia (all times local):

8:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is predicting that former FBI Director James Comey‘s “leaks will be far more prevalent than anyone ever thought possible.” Trump says on Twitter, “Totally illegal? Very ‘cowardly!'”

Trump is again challenging Comey after the ousted FBI director’s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week.

While many of Trump’s Republican allies have found Comey’s testimony credible, the president has called the man he fired a liar and a “leaker.”

Comey said during his testimony that he asked a friend to release contents of the memos he’d written about his conversations with the president to a reporter. He contended that information was not classified or otherwise protected.

2:45 a.m.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has agreed to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The former Alabama senator was an early supporter of Donald Trump, and Sessions’ contacts during the campaign with Russia’s ambassador to the United States have raised questions.

Back in March, Sessions stepped aside from overseeing a federal investigation into contacts between Russia and the Trump campaign after he acknowledged meeting twice last year with the Russian diplomat, Sergey Kislyak.

Sessions had told lawmakers at his confirmation hearing in January that he hadn’t met with Russians during the campaign.

Sessions has been dogged by questions about possible additional encounters with the ambassador.

Republished with permission of The Associated Press.