Jeff Sessions Lied: Carter Page Testified He Told Attorney General About Planned Russia Trip


It’s been another tumultuous week for President Donald Trump’s administration, as another explosive story broke that raises the specter of more indictments to come for members of his inner circle.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is under intense scrutiny over rising suspicions that he perjured himself during several meetings with a Senate panel investigating potential Russian collusion with the Trump campaign in the 2016 elections. In a shocking bombshell report by CNN, Carter Page, a former Trump policy adviser, raised red flags that Sessions may have lied about having no knowledge of his past travel plans to Russia.

The new information raises additional questions about Sessions’ credibility. Earlier, sources reported that Sessions might have committed perjury in a matter related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s widening probe of Trump aides.

Days ago, George Papadopoulos, one of the president’s former national security team advisers, entered a guilty plea in federal court about lying to the FBI. Multiple reports show that Papadopoulos, who Trump and his surrogates called a “low-level volunteer” and the “coffee boy,” reportedly lied to agents about arranging a meeting with Russian operatives via an emissary in the United Kingdom.

A number of cabinet members and campaign aides fervently denied having any knowledge of any actual or planned meetings with Russian government officials or liaisons. And while the aforementioned individuals were not under oath when the media made the inquiries, Attorney General Jeff Sessions was bound by law to be truthful.

Jeff Sessions appeared twice before the Senate Intelligence Committee where he was grilled about the alleged Russia connection to the heated presidential contest. Senator Al Franken and the attorney general made headlines for sparring in both meetings. Sessions maintained that he was not aware of any meetings or conversations between members of the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

Carter Page’s testimony appeared to call Sessions’ statements to the Senate panel into question, as sources contend. In a closed-door meeting that spanned over six hours with panel members, Page swore under oath that he informed Jeff Sessions of his plans to travel to Russia — unrelated to his campaign role — last year in July, as he reported to CNN. Sessions was still a senator back then, but he worked with the campaign as one of Trump’s national security advisers.

“Back in June 2016, I mentioned in passing that I happened to be planning to give a speech at a university in Moscow. Completely unrelated to my limited volunteer role with the campaign and as I’ve done dozens of times throughout my life. Understandably, it was as irrelevant then as it is now. If it weren’t for the dodgy dossier and all the chaos that those complete lies had created, my passing comment’s complete lack of relevance should go without saying.”

Carter Page told the panel that he appeared to Moscow as part of a scheduled lecture about a critique of United States foreign policy. Later, he met with Russians who were not affiliated with the Kremlin. Page didn’t recall if there was any discussion about the United States lifting sanctions against Russia. However, he emphasized that he was not acting in any official capacity with the Trump campaign during his travels.

It’s believed that Page’s conversation with the Jeff Sessions will prompt renewed scrutiny about what the attorney general knew and when he knew it — despite the nation’s top law enforcement official’s written and oral statements about having no knowledge about Russian communications.

Experts and critics say Sessions’ continued denials and his inability to recall past events, meetings, and statements are part of a common practice in criminal and civil investigations. However, they suspect Robert Mueller and investigators are growing weary of the Sessions’ perceived “deflect” strategy.

Two Democratic lawmakers familiar with the nearly year-long investigation expressed concerns about Sessions’ sworn testimony.

“Jeff Sessions concealed his meetings with the Russians and he had an obligation to be more forthcoming about meetings that involved Papadopoulos,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, who sits on the Senate judiciary committee.

“I was very troubled by Attorney General Sessions comments overall,” said Senator Ron Wyden.

Page admitted that Trump’s camp compelled him to sign a “non-disclosure” document during the campaign. The release of a transcript of Carter Page’s testimony about his discussion with Attorney General Jeff Sessions is planned for next week.

[Featured Images by Mark Wilson/Getty Images]

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