Washington—All nine Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats today requested that Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) call Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appear before the committee to answer questions about false statements during his confirmation process and contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

The senators wrote, “The Attorney General’s responses to our questions during his confirmation process were, at best, incomplete and misleading. Given the seriousness of this matter, we do not believe that a written submission to correct the record is sufficient. Members need to hear directly from the Attorney General as well as have the opportunity to ask him questions in public.”

Full text of the letter follows:

March 3, 2017

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley

Chairman

Committee on the Judiciary

United States Senate

224 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Grassley:

The Attorney General’s recusal announcement is a welcome first step, but it leaves many significant questions unanswered.

The Attorney General’s responses to our questions during his confirmation process were, at best, incomplete and misleading. Unfortunately, he has not explained why he failed to come forward and correct the record before reports of his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak became public, why there was a delay in recusing himself until those public disclosures, and why he only recused himself with respect to campaign-related investigations and not Russian contacts with the Trump transition team and administration. Given the seriousness of this matter, we do not believe that a written submission to correct the record is sufficient.

Members need to hear directly from the Attorney General as well as have the opportunity to ask him questions in public. We therefore ask that you schedule a hearing for Attorney General Sessions to appear before the Committee.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein

United States Senator

Patrick Leahy

United States Senator

Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator

Sheldon Whitehouse

United States Senator

Amy Klobuchar

United States Senator

Al Franken

United States Senator

Christopher A. Coons

United States Senator

Richard Blumenthal

United States Senator

Mazie Hirono

United States Senator