Rep. Adam Schiff said Wednesday that he was disappointed Jeff Sessions has not done more to prevent possible foreign interference in the 2018 election.
“Of all of the important questions not to be able to answer that is pretty much at the top of the list,” Mr. Schiff, California Democrat, said on CNN. “And I think it’s indicative frankly of the fact that the administration has done little to nothing to protect us from the next Russian intervention.”
Mr. Schiff is the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.
He said that he is also concerned that Mr. Sessions has made false statements before Congress, but he said aside from possible criminal actions, it goes to the credibility of the attorney general.
“If he is deliberately making false statements in his Senate testimony then it is a pretty big ’so what.’ Now that will be a decision not for the Congress, but ultimately a decision, potentially, for the Justice Department,” Mr. Schiff said. “Beyond that, I think it is indicative of ’what’s our view of our attorney general?’ Even if it doesn’t amount to a crime, do we have an attorney general that we can count on to level with the American people?”
Mr. Schiff said that the larger goal of these investigations is also to find out why President Trump seems hesitant, or even resistant, to pursuing the Russia investigation. He suggested Mr. Trump’s hesitation may have something to do with compromising information the Russians could have on him.
“We need to let the country know exactly what leverage the Russians may have over our president,” Mr. Schiff said.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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