Evening byte last the assistant attorney general sessions yes. Asked you direct mr. Boyd to drop. Response . Direct mr. Boyd to draft that response . Was it just you or anyone else question mark mr. Sessions i think it wouldve been a direction from me. Did you review the letter before it was sent . Yes. Essions id you agree with what was laid out . So. Sessions i think and the third paragraph it says, the attorney general has directed federal prosecutors to address certain situations raised in the letter. The senior prosecutors will report directly to the attorney general and the Deputy Attorney general. When you say the Deputy Attorney general, you referring to mr. Rosenstein . Yes. So you contemplate the senior prosecutors are doing the analysis and then reporting back, do you contemplate by using the conjunction and mr. Rosenstein would be briefed simultaneously . Mr. Sessions i would think so. Who is the final decisionmaker . You are mr. Rosenstein on these matters . Mr. Sessions i would make the final decision i would assume unless it implicates an issue that i am not that i am recused in or would be improper for me to be involved with. Echoes to the base of i question. Trying to find out on the very issues referenced in this response, it is stated in this response that it is the attorney general and Deputy Attorney general that make a decision. So youre are saying it is the attorney general decision on those matters . Yes. Under conflict, i would make a decision, yes. Do you see such a conflict as we sit here now . Mr. Sessions some of the matters could implicate matters that mr. Miller has, for example, that i have recused myself from. Other than the matters that mr. Mueller is dealing with, are there any other matters that you would see a circumstance where andissue has been rated chairman goodlattes letter where you would anticipate a recusal on your part . Mr. Sessions i do not anticipate that but it is possible. Appoint a special counsel to investigate the uranium one matter . Crexendo leave i do. Christ you have the authority to appoint a special counsel to mediate the fusion gps matter . Mr. Sessions i do not believe that i should be talking about and evaluating cases here today. Im not asking you to evaluate. I am asking you to evaluate your authority to appoint special counsel. I dont want to know anything about the investigations, even if they are happening are not happening. Mr. Sessions if i am not recused, i have the authority and responsibility to make that decision. As it relates to Loretta Lynch using the pseudonym elizabeth carlyle, are you recused on that matter . Are you recused on the fusion gps matter . Mr. Sessions i dont think so. I am not going to comment about that but i would say in defense of attorney general lynch, i have a pseudonym also. I understand all caps and officials do. Maybe some subcabinet officials do. They probably have been following the advice of the department of justice. I am just saying, we have to be careful. Thatjust want to be clear as it relates to the uranium one matter, you do believe you have the authority to appoint a special counsel and you do not believe the authority you have is subject to any recusal at this time . I cannot say that. The chair recognizes the gentleman from california for five minutes. Donald trump has asked various individuals to pledge a loath of loyalty to him. Has he asked you . Mr. Sessions no. I of donald trump were to ask , would you do so question if donald trump were to ask you to pledge a loath of loyalty to him, would you do so . Mr. Sessions we all owe loyalty to bosses and supervisors. I have always done that. So you know, people are expected to be loyal to their executive branch had. But an improper loyalty oath the goes beyond a commitment thank you mr. Sessions. I reclaim my time. Lets talk about your contacts with a foreign power. Lester, how many interactions did you have with russian Government Officials question last year, how many interactions did you have with russian Government Officials . Did you interactions have with Russian Ambassador sergey i. Kislyak . Mr. Sessions i came up the platform, we chatted, had an encounter. Couple months later, believe in september, he asked for a meeting and i provided that. I met with approximately 25 ambassadors last year and i had that same day thank you. As attorney general you have a clearance, correct . To get that clearance, you form, correct . I submitted such a form when i served in active duty in the u. S. Air force. The form requires you to certify under penalty of perjury was true,n submitted and complete, to the best of your knowledge. That is correct. Did it show you a question from that form . Any contact with a Foreign Government such as embassy, reserves, representatives inside or outside that u. S. . The answer you gave was no. Oathyou just told us under is exactly the opposite. Were you lying then when you filled out the form . Mr. Sessions what i was told by my executive assistant when we did this former earlier and then again when i was nominated for attorney general, that the fbi authority said members of congress and a effectively Government Officials meeting people on an official basis, you are not required to list all contacts. Nothing says you good to answer any differently because you are a u. S. Rather than, say, young Police Officer question mark is that right . Thatessions i would say nobody liked the fbi or any other place to my knowledge said that. Surely you have met with some foreign officials in the last several years. Ive not had any private business dealings nor anything of that nature. My contacts would be in the normal course of doing business. Let me ask. I thought that was reasonable. Crid yu said under a today you had meetings with ambassador kislyak under one hour. Said under oath today that you had meetings with ambassador kislyak under one hour. And let me ask you to simple questions. I just we did talk about ukraine, we had an argument about ukraine because the day before the Ukrainian Ambassador was in my Office Making his case against russia and i raised those issues with mr. Kislyak and he was, as i refer to it i think, the classic we did nothing wrong. Simpleme ask you to questions. You did have communications with the rest of pleasure, is that right . Mr. Sessions repeat that. You did have communications with the russian last year, is that right . Mr. Sessions i did have a meeting with the Russian Ambassador, yes. Either you are lying to us or you are lying to the house of representatives. The time of the gentleman has expired. The witness can explain further if you so chooses. Mr. Sessions, hope the congressman is and i hope all of you know that my answer to that mr. Sessions i hope the congressman knows and i hope all of you know that my answer to not question was that i was meeting on a continuing basis with russian officials and the implication was doing impact the campaign and some sort of nefarious way. All i did was me in my office with the ambassador, which we did not even discuss anything like that. So i just want to say i congressman. E response, im sorry that that is my response. The chair recognizes the gentleman from louisiana, mr. Johnson, for five minutes. Thank you for being here today. The aggressive agenda of hostile foreign actors to undermine our democratic process. The American People are concerned about the subversive at leastuse it that is the agenda somehow. It has been a muslim the years before the congress enacted the foreign agents act. Disclosing forl anyone working on their behalf said their activities can be evaluated. General sessions come the question today is, as you know the Current Special counsel investigation has revealed several highprofile washington elites on both sides of the outcome of for example mr. Podesta, mr. Manafort, who have violated the foreign agents registration act. Would you agree without that, these cases would likely have not become public . Mr. Sessions perhaps. Say i do not to have privy to the information and it would be inappropriate really for me to express and opinion. Except that. The point is that a lot of these things have stayed under the radar because there have not been appropriate attention and focus on it and the special investigation has brought that end in the view of many of us is long overdue. There is historical evidence going back as far as the administration of your j h w bush about the lawn this area despite repeated recommendations to develop a strategy with the dlg Doj National Security efforts. There has been no substantive action and there has been a sharp decline in compliance of the last two decades. Clearly everybody can agree much has changed in the world since a lot was first and acted in 1938. The question is, would you agree to work with us to correct these very serious problem so that we can update our disclosure laws so the American People can see what is going on . Mr. Sessions i would. I believe our professional staff has been at this for some time. Ive communicated with some senators and probably have communicated with you. I would be glad to continue that. Its we appreciated. Mr. Sessions i think there is only seven cases and what, years, decades . Brought, in one case russian tv, some part of that. It is a matter worth serious consideration. At that. Ou for giving senator grassley and i have companion bills to clear up the ambiguity should. We appreciate your attention. On september 5, we wrote a with 17 other members from louisiana and texas, requesting a serious estigation of plant parent planned parenthood investigations with fetal tissue. I would ask that b entered into the record. Specifically we requested your office look into the congressional findings and along investigative him infant lies. The panel stated this is just one of 15 criminal and regulatory referrals made to various agencies, four of which were referred to the Justice Departments of the question is, do you have any updates on those issues today or on our request, and if not, can we get when of those soon . Mr. Sessions i will review the letter. I do not have it at the top of my head i am sorry to say. And i will look at it. I would the congress, mr. Chairman, and members here, are entitled to a prompt response from the attorney general and department of justice. We have already reduced the law that some 400 letters i half and when the dust settles on our time here, think you will see we are far more responsive than you have had in the past. Because i was in your shoes and as chairman grassley reminded me, letters i had pending for a long time not answered. So fair enough. I know you have been busy. October 12, you made remarks for the second of office for immigration review and stated how the Immigration Court system is being gamed in many ways. Today you mention about the credible fear standard. If we do that, what impact would it have on claims filed in Immigration Courts . It could have a very significant impact. We have about 90 of the people make those claims are referred for some sort of hearing. Any of those are quickly determined not to be substantial. I remember when the bill passed. I remember an experienced senator, like the senator from arizona who said, this is a huge thing. You do not know how big this is going to turn out to be. It took a number of years but it certainly proved to be correct. We did not need to do that then and we ought to we need to curtail it. Proposalodlattes fixed some of that. Chairman goodlattes proposal fixed some of that. Thank you. Chair. K you mr. Mr. Attorney general, President Trump has told the press that has called the press the enemy of the people. Although we thought the free press was the peoples best friend. When you commit not to investigate not to incriminate investigative journalists for not submitting source of their mr. Sessions we have not had a conflict in my term of office is with the press, but there something tsipras seems to think they have an absolute right to presshey do that the seems to think they have an absolute right to that they do not have an obsolete right to. An absolute right to. The longest possible sentences, extended to defendants who are turned by special counsel more like gates, papadopoulos, so one. Mr. Sessions i would think so. Ive not given it that much thought. It simply calls for charging the crime,the most serious with the highest minimum sentence for that most serious crime. I was confused about one thing that came up in the various questioning about the meeting with mr. Papadopoulos. I heard you say you told him essentially, no, dont go. You tried to shut him down. And at another point, i thought i heard you say, dont represent yourself as speaking for im just wondering whether you could clarify that. Were you telling him not to go, or not to speak for the campaign . I remember the pushback. I remember he suggested an ability to negotiate with russians or others, and i or itt he had no ability would not be appropriate for him to do so, and i was pretty clear that he shouldnt be pretending to represent were you equally clear with mr. Gates, not to go to russia and not to represent the campaign . Let me tell you what he says. I dont recall it. He says he was in the dinner, and as he walked out, he told me im going to russia and i made no response whatsoever. Wentid it looked like it in one ear and out the other and he did nothing improper when he went to russia. I dont know what he did and have no knowledge of it. Report to me and as far as i noted not act for the campaign. Challenge President Trumps continuing receipt of Foreign Government payments, the trump golf courses and so on, the attorney general, what is the appropriate remedy for president who collects four and emoluments without obtaining congressional permission to do so, what is the appropriate remedy . I would have to take a look at that. Im not prepared to give you an answer. You taken the position that we dont have any standing to raise it in court. Positionn taking that that we dont have standing to raise it, what is the appropriate constitutional remedy . They did not want the president compromise what do we do . The mighty mitts klaus has not been a subject of a great deal of litigation. The department of justice has longstanding rules about standing against congress, against private parties, against pretty wellh established law, i will have to get you information. You said you would be defender of Voting Rights of the people. We have millions of people who are disenfranchised in puerto rico and the other territories. We have people in washington dc who have no voting representation in congress. Ourave warnings from Intelligence Community that there will be further attempts at cyber sabotage of our elections. What you consider the most serious threat to our Voting Rights and what are you doing about it . Will not. Sessions we accept suppression and illegal activities against voters. If you have any, i would appreciate you sending it to me. We will make sure it is investigated by career attorneys in her civil rights division. And on the Cyber Security site, what are you doing to protect us from another to avoid political sabotage . Atty. Gen. Sessions i believe this is a danger. I believe investigations have been ongoing and it is being considered, but i have to say im not up to date on the latest of that, and i will be pleased to try to get you something in writing as to what we need to do , or least what we are doing and what we may need to do to protect the integrity of our elections. Recognizes the gentleman from arizona for five minutes. Im going to try over to go over some ground without going too much deeper. What is rod rosen scenes role in the department right now . The. Gen. Sessions department of justice has a number of key positions. The Deputy Attorney general has supervisory responsibility for all of our investigative agencies, it basically, the entire department. The associate handles part of that, and the deputy and associate reports through the deputy to the attorney general the fbideputy, director, for example, reports through an to the deputy, not directly to the attorney general. Is Andrew Mccabes responsibility and role . Atty. Gen. Sessions i think he is classified as the number two guy at the fbi. In a position, for instance, mr. Comeys position was terminated. Mr. Mccabe was acting director for a time until a new director was nominated. And mr. Rosenstein has been serving with you and had served previously. Was anything done to question or that any potential jewel potential conflicts they mightve had with things like the mueller investigation, the russian investigation, or anything like that . Atty. Gen. Sessions its a responsibility i guess of a person involved in an investigation to be sure that is a conflict of interest or that should require recusal. That is aniate that individual responsibility. I guess nothing formally or from the department was done to say weve got this going on, there is potential questions, particularly with regard to mr. And the roles back to the fusion one investigations and continuing on for those 10 years. If i understand you correctly, there was nothing done there to formally vet them. Atty. Gen. Sessions i think i understand you correctly, and i think that is correct. I know you have answered this, so i will go quickly with regard to the fusion gps dossier, and has been reported widely in the media that the fbi at least paper some portion or expenses of that document. Do you know whether that is accurate or not . Atty. Gen. Sessions i do not. It has also been widely reported in the media that the act i at some point review that dossier, particularly on mr. Comey. Do you know if that ever occurred . I am not. Sessions able to comment on that. When you say youre not able to comment, that means you may not know, or atty. Gen. Sessions i have not been involved in any investigation, and i dont even read the newspapers that closely. X it for you, i must say. We had an exchange earlier today with you and the representative from ohio, mr. Jordan. He said it seems like this, it seems like that. At the end of that, you made a comment, and i can only paraphrase, because i did not write down to exact comment. It seems like you were saying on cannot base a case something that seems like something. Notionessence, the very of probable cause indicates that something seems like something and it seems like that person probably committed that act, which seems like it is in violation of the law. I am trying to get clarification of that. Atty. Gen. Sessions this congress has a right to ask for information. You have the right to express his opinion about whether becial counsel should appointed. Its my responsibility to evaluate it, and i would have to feel, or in some cases the deputy would have to feel that the kind of circumstances that would justify, and we just have to know, and i want you all to know, if special counsel is required, i or im sure anyone else in the department that has a responsibility would name one. If not, is not required. I would say that our department and our team at the department of justice, i feel like we can do work, but there are some cases that get so significant and ask at such a level, it becomes a Public Interest question that has to be evaluated. I have no prejudgment. I did not mean to suggest i was taking a side one way or the other on that subject. I was simply responding that we would have to have full and effective and detailed factually valuation before we make a decision on whether or not a special counsel is required. I have made no prejudgment. What im getting at, is that mr. Rosenstein would be in line to make that decision on special counsel . Has a not aware that he problem in that regard, but if so, we have Senior Councils in the department who would give advice on that. And we all have to be sure we are not crossing that line. The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from washington for five minutes. Being with us. R i would like to go back to some of your testimony on contacts with russia. At the beginning in your opening statement, you said my testimony has not changed. Later in response to some questions, you said i do now recall. Due respect, its difficult to take your assurances under oath when you seem to change her testimony emerges, new evidence and specifically, you denied contact with the russian senator during her confirmation hearings. That was revealed to be untrue, given multiple meetings with an ambassador. On campaignsponse related matters but you denied that Campaign Surrogates communicate with russian agents. That was revealed to be untrue given the sworn statement offered by George Papadopoulos. You later refined or statement saying you did not remember George Papadopoulos but you then remember telling him to seize those conversations. He saved cannot be expected to remember the details of what happened a year ago, but you are in fact a very seasoned prosecutor and a 20 or member of the United States senate, United States congress who is presumably capable of mind and memory. So a prosecutor accepted defense of lack of recall . Absolutely, people have a lack of recall. In the environment we were operating in with so much happening and meetings occurring, you assume a lot of matters that are not accurate. Would you instruct the attorney to work for you at the department of justice to take at face value a defensive i dont recall . If a person says they dont recall it has a justified reason for it, i certainly do. And that was not the case in the situation of the Police Officer that mr. Jeffries referred to. Let me move on to another matter. On november 11, President Trump not only trusted the word of Vladimir Putin over the brave men and women who served in our Intelligence Committee. He proceeded to trash the reputations of its leaders, and i quote her, he said, give me a break, they are political hacks. The president went on to say that he believes Vladimir Putin when he said he absolutely did not metal in our election. Mr. Sessions, do you consider the leaders of our Intelligence Community, past and present, as political hacks . Atty. Gen. Sessions i would say to you, the president speaks his mind as he chooses. Im not giving you a yes or no, im giving you my answer. So you have no opinion on whether they are hacks or not. Im saying i respect and value our Intelligence Community. That is great to hear. When President Trump said he believes Vladimir Putin when he says he absolutely did not metal myour election, help refresh memory. In january of this your, was it the unanimous opinion of our Intelligence Committee that the russian government did in fact metal in our election . Atty. Gen. Sessions i believe an opinion was expressed. That was a yes . Atty. Gen. Sessions im not aware of any dissent from that. In your knowledge in the month since has the Intelligence Community in any way changed its opinion . Atty. Gen. Sessions im not aware of it. Senator ceci ask you if the department had taken adequate action to prevent election meddling in the future, you said in response to some questions, that you believe this was a danger. Have you requested a review of what laws need to be updated to protect our elections from foreign influence . Atty. Gen. Sessions i have not, and would be pleased to work with you to deal with the deficiencies we have. The congress would have to deal with that. But you would want to point as appoint a special counsel on that issue . Ity. Gen. Sessions maybe misunderstood the question. I thought you were asking if we should have new laws. Im asking is going to investigate what has happened with the meddling in our elections. Im notn. Sessions participating in that. Let me move on to mr. Miller, because i just have a few seconds here. Considering your prominent role in the Trump Campaign, did you work closely and communicate with Stephen Miller when he worked on the campaign . Workeden. Sessions i with him. He had worked with me previously. Did mr. Miller tell you he was working on a letter the President Trump which detailed the president s reasons for firing then fbi director call me . Mr. Miller is a high Government Official close to the president of the United States, and im not at liberty to reveal the nature of any conversations we may have had. Eggs are you claiming executive privilege . Im notn. Sessions claiming executive privilege. Im following the longestablished policies of the department of justice. The president has not invoked executive privilege. The time of the general one has expired. Is their authority in this committee to permit a witness to refuse to answer question without properly invoking a privilege . And if not, what is the appropriate response from the chairman to enforce the committees ability to do proper oversight . Recognizes that senior officials from both administrations current and past and longstanding before that abilityg stated their to not answer questions regarding questions at the highs level of our government. I do not believe theres any such privilege or any right to assert a refusal to answer stion, simply because youre going to prevent us from getting answers to the question. Then i would ask that the witness be directed to enter the gentlelady from washingtons question. The gentlewoman from georgia is recognized for five minutes. You, and i wanted they sayeth special thank you to mr. Sessions for being here and for frankly your patience and commitment through the many chapters of the general sessions this english career, so thank you. I wanted to ask a pretty direct question, because there has been so much said here today about russia and what you testify to and not testify to and a great deal of parsing of words, along with what i would call not so areed comments that frankly an attempt to impugn your candor, your integrity, and your reputation, so as very bluntly, have you ever deliberately lied or sought to deliberately mislead the United States senate or this body here today . Atty. Gen. Sessions no, i have not. Thank you, let the record show it was a direct yes or no on that, and it was an emphatic no. I would ask about civil forager. Civil forfeiture you started some additional practices there. In march, the Inspector General had a report and offered several different suggestions that might be put in place, recommendations put in place for the program. Can you give an update on that . Or if you dont have it today, you can send it to me. Atty. Gen. Sessions i can. We spent considerable time evaluating the program. We recognize the concerns expressed in congress, and i have been well aware of that, having seen it come up in judiciary committees. So we work hard to produce a reproduce, i guess, the policy that had been in place for as much as 40 years. That only recently, in the last two or three years, has been reversed. The Law Enforcement community was very concerned about the reversal of the sharing and the partnership that we have established, every federal agency and every u. S. Attorney has to work closely every day with our state and local Law Enforcement. 85 of all Law Enforcement in america is state and local. This has been one of the blues that holds that team together. Glues that hole that team together. Also, when we reinstated it, i pointed, directed the appointment which will occur, of an individual to be an Accountability Officer for the whole forfeiture process, to receive any complaints we get from congress or judges or lawyers or victims that claim victimhood, and make sure we are doing it in the right way. We have added, we shortened the time for the government to respond. We have said that we wont part with any local Law Enforcement agency if they dont undergo to ensure they know how to handle forfeitures. I have cautioned against seizing of homes and real estate unless evil no, have clear proof. Thank you. Moving to a different topic, as you probably know, there was a recent Media Firestorm around what was a bipartisan peas of legislation, ensuring Patient Access and the Enforcement Drug enforcement act that had great bipartisanship. It raised the standard for dea to issue immediate suspension orders against pharmacies and Prescription Drug distribution, who mightve contributed to the opioid epidemic. However, viewpoint, what have been the actual effects on prosecution and administration of administrative actions, and has the dea been negatively impacted by that particular law . Atty. Gen. Sessions we will use the laws we have aggressively, and in pharmacies Distribution Companies for big pharma, and we will hold them to account. Congress will establish the law. Both dea andt with department of justice acknowledgment or acquiescence. I am not sure to what extent it may have had a negative impact. I would have to get back with you and make sure i am accurate in my statements. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. I yield back. The chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois for five minutes. Thank you to attorney general sessions for coming here today. I appreciate your patience and giving us all the opportunity to speak. As i sat listening to the hearings today, there are number of things i was looking to hear or better understand. First, believe it was an opportunity for you to set the record straight on trump contacts between russia and the United States. We continue to learn you evidence that demonstrates previous answers have been at best incomplete and it works, inaccurate. I think there are still some questions about that. Second, looking to see what steps congress is taking to protect from foreign interference in the future. 2016 was not the first and wont be the last time that russians and others will try to interfere in our elections, and we have to take steps to ensure the integrity of our elections remain solid. Entities to undermine our elections. Onrd, looking for answers policies pursued by this department of justice that i believe are taking aim at the rights of americans in undermining Voting Rights, restricting odb dq rights, to targeting immigrants. We talked about a lot of things. I would like to turn my attention to the idea of ensuring the integrity of our elections and protecting them from foreign influence. You have been asked a couple of times today what steps you have taken since you have spoken a couple of weeks ago in the Senate Judiciary committee what youre doing. You were asked if the department is doing enough to prevent foreign interference in our elections. Just to repeat what you said, and i will quote, probably not. We are not. The matter is so complex, that for most of us, we are not able to grasp the technical dangers that are out there. These are real dangers to our elections that are the foundation of our democracy. You said several weeks ago that it wires a real review. Stay you said there is no review taking place. Today you said there is no review taking place. Concerned, with the 2018 elections less than one euro way, and given your knowledge meant that this is a realex matter requirement review, specifically what steps have you taken to protect our election next year . Atty. Gen. Sessions you raise a good point. I have not followed through to see where we are on that and i will personally take action to do so. There are a lot of things that happened happening. We are working on a lot of great agenda items, but this one is important, and i acknowledge that, and i should be able to give you better information today than i am. I would hazard to state nothing more important to our democracy than the integrity of our elections. As the head of the department of justice, it is important that as a nation, that justice remain blind, carrying the balance scale without a finger on the scale. Protecting our elections is important. What steps does the department need to do to protect our elections . Atty. Gen. Sessions our states need to review their own vulnerabilities. I would say our fbi has extraordinary capabilities when it comes to hacking and those kinds of issues. We probably need to work on that with them. They should have a very important role. They are highly sophisticated in that. And our intelligence communities, also. To the extent that this has driven some foreign power, that were dealing with International Attention involvement. All of those agencies need to be involved, i would think. Legislation, it will take some aggressive push, at least through the senate. Earlier that the Intelligence Community said russia did try to interfere in our elections in 2016. Do you feel that is still a statement of truth, or is it open for question . Atty. Gen. Sessions i have no basis to dispute that. I do think that said they dont think votes were changed. Will jump to the end, to what you were just touching on. To i ask for your commitment provide a briefing to those of us on this community that are interested in addressing this problem, making sure irrespective of whether the democratic or republican state or community that we have safe, sound elections with integrity . Would you meet with us . Atty. Gen. Sessions i would be glad to. I think that would be valuable. Attorney general sessions, thank you for appearing before a commute today. Its always great to have the opportunity to communicate. Ofa foundational principle our constitution, religious liberty ought to be protected at every turn in our nations history and under every administration. Last month, you issued a memo which focused on ensuring First Amendment protections for religious groups and individuals. The last two congresses, we introduced a First Amendment defense act, which were which you were a cosponsor up. The federal government from denying or excluding a person from receiving a federal grant, contract, loan, license, accreditation, or other similar position or status based on their religious believe in marriage. Atty. Gen. Sessions i have cared about this for a long time and a lot of work has been done. I have health there have been some abuses that occurred, pretty clearly. We have had to settle some lawsuits because federal government overreach. I would say what we need to understand at the most fundamental level is the First Amendment allows the free exercise of religion. It doesnt just allow you to think what you want to think come and meet in a closet somewhere and never express yourself. Andllows the free exercise, the degree to which we have not respected that in recent years, and our opinion is based on the law. It is a guidance to ensure that the agents of our countrymen know what the principles are when they incite people for wrongdoing. Senator labrador what more can congress do to protect religious liberty . You. Sessions thank we have religious liberty, and also in the First Amendment is speech. It is time for us to take seriously the erosion of the fundamental respect for differing views. We have seen that on college campuses. Believe free speech is a civil right, and the department of justice will not stand idly by if Constitutional Rights are being constructed by unwise activities limiting speech. Senator labrador just as important to me as the First Amendment is the fifth prohibits thech government from depriving people of property without due process. Im concerned civil Asset Forfeiture is threatening right under the fifth amendment guaranteed to every american. While forfeiture can be important for Law Enforcement, it has been abused. In idaho and around the country, a number of cases where civil Asset Forfeiture has been used to deprive individuals of their homes, cash, and property. I supported several pieces of legislation and for amendments that make reforms to the civil Asset Forfeiture. In light of the mounting evidence civil Asset Forfeiture is being used improperly, how do you think we can strike the proper balance between justice and making sure criminal laws are being followed and preventing harm to innocent americans . A. G. Sessions i know you care about that. Other members of congress have expressed concerns to me. I do not take them lightly. I truly believe if there is probable cause to believe that an item of value often for Police Officers it is a stash of cash in an automobile if there is probable cause to believe it is connected to a enterprise, they have a right to seize it, we have to give the person who claims it a fair hearing. You can arrest a person on probable cause and put them in jail. Enterprise, they have a i think it is appropriate to hold proceeds of a drug deal. I think it is appropriate to hold them, but i dont think it is appropriate to take them until there has been a guilty finding. Justice thomas recently criticized forfeiture laws. I hope we can have a longer conversation about this. I think this is an important issue. I have always found you to be very fair in our communication. I think we have to reform civil Asset Forfeiture laws. The fifth amendment to me is just as important as every other amendment of the constitution. We should Work Together to strengthen it. A. G. Sessions some of the complaints you have read about are state and local forfeitures, and not federal. We believe our people are operating at a high standard. I will have an Accountability Office on these cases. We will not accept abuse of the law. The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from alabama for five minutes. This is so great to have you here today. We are excited to have attorney general sessions. This is so and now your contind work for our nation as attorney general. I have known you for a very long time. You served our thank you for yos of service to the state of alabama, state for a very long time. The people of alabama know you well. We have heard a lot about russia today. Things you maywell. Have heard, that somehow you are guilty of collusion with russia. I have two questions for you. Have you ever worked with russians to influence an election . A. G. Sessions no. Rep. Roby have you ever in any capacity personally, politically done anything to harm the National Security of the United States of america . A. G. Sessions i dont believe i have. I have tried to protect the National Security of our country. Rep. Roby thank you. I want to move on to a different subject. I was pleased to see your First Official act after being sworn in as attorney general was to present President Trump an executive order to strengthen the enforcement of federal law on transnational criminal organizations. An Important Initiative to curtail the International Trafficking of drugs, weapons, and human beings, often victims of sex trafficking, including young women. One of the reasons i was eager when asked to join the Judiciary Community earlier in this congress was to work on making a difference on this issue. We have worked with a department on some veryready important see on some very important see changes, particularly to our criminal code to that effect. Both the house andcommunity ears Senate Judiciary committees have held hearings regarding specifically the legal liability of websites hosting advertisements for thetitution, to include prostitution and abuse of children. Section 230 of the Communications Decency act shields websites such as craigslist, facebook, and many others from legalcommunicationsm content posted by their users. We had a hearing recently on this. I am interested in finding the right balance between protecting the freedom of expression and protecting the rights of these Young Children who are victims, who are being abused, without impacting the innovation of the internet. I appreciate your thoughts on this issue. Think this is very important for us to get this right,and do so working together. At the end of the day, we have to find a solution. We want to do everything we can to protect these children from these horrible abuses. A. G. Sessions thank you very much. That is a valuable thing for us to address. In recent days, i have talked about it with my staff. We have not formed a clear picture of where we will go, but the extent to which we can work with you on that, i would be pleased to. Rep. Roby i would like to on that. I think the most important thing is that we get this right and strike that balance. Again as a member of this committee, to have this thoseunity to fight for who are unable to fight for those who are unable to fight for themselves is a tremendous privilege, and i appreciate the ship with the Department Getting this right. Thank you for your service. A. G. Sessions thank you for your Excellent Service to the state of alabama. No doubt. And the United States. Mr. He chair recognizes goldmark gohmert for 5 minutes. End of a short hearing, looks like, unless someone else comes in. Seems to me you got mistreated a little bit. There were questions about your answer, senator frankens question. Ive got a copy of what he said. His question if there is evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump Campaign communicated with the russian government in the course of this campaign, what would you do . You even had someone offer into the record that mother jones basically said you lied. I would submit this committee doesnt need mother jones to inaccurately describe or tell us when we can look at the conversation and see ourselves. Let me ask you was your meeting with the russian was that in the course and scope of your obligations with the campaign, or in the course and scope of your obligations as United States senator . A. G. Sessions they were mostly official business as u. S. Senator. I did speak at the republican convention. The conversations out on the floor after i finished my remarks were brief. With regard to the meeting in my office, it was substantively about Foreign Relations between the United States rep. Gohmert what you are talking about with them there at the convention, it was not about the president ial campaign of donald trump, it was as your capacity as United States senator, correct . A. G. Sessions you could say i was invited for other reasons. Had gohmert when you talked before that you had consulted with career people about whether or not to recuse yourself. Can you tell us whether or not one of those people you consulted with was Rod Rosenstein . A. G. Sessions yes, i could say how that occurred. Rep. Gohmert im just asking if it did. A. G. Sessions i am just wondering if that is the kind of consultant relationship. Rep. Gohmert i am not asking him to a. G. Sessions i talked to another senior official in the department of justice who holds the position. He also consult others in the department where he makes opinions. Rep. Gohmert were you aware when you recused yourself of the investigation by the Justice Department into this female account this email account . Are you aware of those, the criminal complaint . A. G. Sessions no. Gohmert where you aware and i have a motion to seal a. G. Sessions i dont think so. Rep. Gohmert well, this was an investigation with russia trying to corner the market into u. S. Uranium. There is a motion tos seal. I am sure you have filed them many times as he was attorney. J. S is signed, rod. Rosenstein, he was attorney, asking judge William Connolly to investigation into the russian effort to corner our market, to seal those records. You were not aware that rosenstein had this prior dealing with russian uranium before you recused yourself, had you . A. G. Sessions my recusal that we made public was for them your investigation. Muellerhe investigation. Rep. Gohmert mueller was appointed, but you were not aware he was central to the investigation before jim comey took over the fbi september 2015. You were not aware of the investigation into russian uranium before you recused yourself . A. G. Sessions [laughter] i dont think so. No, i was not. I was in the department of justice. Rep. Gohmert we have a chart that shows just how integral the relationship with mr. Rosenstein, mr. Mueller, into this uranium one thing. I dont think they should be involved in investigating. I sure appreciate your service. A. G. Sessions i appreciate your service. Mr. Chairman, i would just note the matter that was prosecuted was two yearsnium after the investigation that mr. Rosenstein handled. It didnt hit his office until two years afterwards, and is unrelated to the allegations about uranium one as i understand it. The chair man from florida is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. Attorney general, thank you very much for your service and your time here today. I will try to make this as short as i can. Representing and speaking for sheriffs across the country and well,chiefs of polices as one of the issues i know they have great concern about is, through your grant process, if you can look at how nonrelevant criteria are applied to grants to meet some performance criteria. One i was familiar with was National IncidentManagement System complaints. It had nothing to do with the grant. They put that on as criteria for the grant application. Is takes away home rule from local Law Enforcement. I know several sheriffs and chiefs are concerned about that. Have you had any issues about that that you are aware of . A. G. Sessions the Grant Programs allows the department of justice to put special conditions on grants. S inone we placed that deal the future with sanctuary cities does is minimal, it simply requires a cooperative relationship where federal officials can go to the jail, and people at the jail can communicate with federal Law Enforcement officers. It does not require the state to arrest people or hold them us and. Or hold them passive. We think it is a reasonable thing. There may be conditions on those grants from previous administrations. I think that is the one we have added to it. Rep. Rutherford i can tell you that is not the one i am concerned about. The sheriffs and chiefs support that wholeheartedly. A. G. Sessions thank you. I would be glad to look at that. Rep. Rutherford if they can force you to be compliant, they can force you to carry revolvers versus semi automatics. It goes down a slippery slope. More important than that, i want to talk to you briefly about the Viper Program under csa, an intermodal provisional Response Teams that work surface transportation, some around our rail, buses, subways, those sorts of things. There was a move by tsa at one time to move viper operations out onto public roads and highways. There was a lot of pushback with local Law Enforcement on those issues as well. Have you looked into that, the legality of it . Those suspicionless searches that you go through. Every air traveler in america has gone through that. Those suspicionless searches at the airport. It is based on special needs out of a Supreme Court decision that suspends the fourth amendment. Havespecial need is if you a significant threat, a verifiable threat to Public Safety. None of that exists on those public roads. Threat, was a specific i dont think anyone would have issue with that. However, that has never been the case. I was told they wanted to do that for training purposes within tsa. That, i think, should be unacceptable. A. G. Sessions i have not looked at that. They are not in the department of justice. We may have legal opinions that could be relevant to that. I have not engaged on the issue. Rep. Rutherford that is why i bring it up here today. To see, what is your legal opinion of those suspicionless searches by tsa without the special needs concern out of the Supreme Court decision about significant risk in the verifiable Public Safety threat . If you could look into that, i would appreciate it. A. G. Sessions i will ask about it, i sure will. Rep. Rutherford i yield back. I now recognize the gentleman from new york. I ask unanimous consent to place into the record an article from the Washington Post has Jeff Sessions got the worlds worst memory or what . I understand the gentlelady from texas has something into the record. Inquiry i want to put in the record january 10, 2017, Senate Judiciary hearing on the nomination of the attorney general and october 18, 2017, hearing onciary oversight of the Justice Department. Parliamentary inquiry the gentleman said a number of things i hope we can Work Together on. Hearing on parliamentary inquiry to require an answer to the creation of a task force on sexual crimes against children. Without objection. If i could put it in the record please. Inquiry isiamentary that we will have opportunity for questions to be put in the record. The gentlelady can submit questions for the record. I thank the gentleman for his kindness. I yield back. I know recognize myself for five minutes. General sessions, you have to know that i hold you in tremendously high regard. Buthave had a bumpy ride, there are some of us who appreciate who you are. As the Justice Department know, the house and senate have conducted investigations into the illegal sale of body parts of babies by some planned parenthood executives. Has made clear from undercover videos surfaced two years ago. The fbi sought documents the senate obtained from proportion of otters into the illegal sale of these body parts. If the fbi has requested what is now several thousand pages of theirmony, through investigation of planned parenthood, that means they could be readying indictment against those sales of body parts. Are findingsaking, investigationnate sufficient evidence for the Justice Department to bring charges up on any party guilty of violating federal law . A. G. Sessions investigation sufficient it depends on the substance of those federal finding. They certainly can provide a starting an investigation starting an investigation verifying the findings of congress, and could provide a basis for charges. I think that is appropriate away for us to relate one another. Way for us to relate to one another. I Hope Congress will look at the information dissented is providing to the fbi. Your refusal i Hope Congress wie appearance of impartiality, i believe that mr. Mueller should recuse himself based on your standard from investigating russian collusion a long time ago. I have suggested many times the existing russian trump investigation is a snipe hunt. As many members of this committee has indicated, there does seem to be damning evidence relating to the russia and Hillary Clinton state department. If there was as much evidence against the president as we have against the Obama Administration he mrs. Clinton, im afraid would be burned at the stake right now. Court documents detail an extensive coordinated scheme of kickbacks, bribery, and general wrongdoing related to the acquisition of uranium trucking a russianium one, by giant. Of russianss account officials routing millions of dollars to the clinton foundation. Despite this evidence, rather than bring charges in 2010 not on your watch the fbi continue the investigation four more years and allowed the acquisition of 20 of our strategic uranium supply without informing congress. The head of the fbi at the time was robert mueller. One for the was record. I think the committee is about to close up. What do you think the Justice Department can do to close this seemingly lack of reversal of priority . How can we look at the evidence and the facts for what they are and do what appears to be the right thing . A. G. Sessions we have much going on in the department of justice. Nt to 15 or more members of this committee a response to a request you made some time ago that we would bring independent prosecutors the review of a host of matters so i can look you in the eye and tell you we have done the right thing, and an objective evaluation of matters that have been raised by this committee. Therelly we can decide if are some matters that need to be investigated, some may need to be closed, some may need more money and agents. I believe that is my responsibility. I dont believe that is giving into politics. I believe i should evaluate your request on its merits. You raise some matters that i think i am dutybound to respond to. Rep. Frank general sessions, i that it like this sounds pretty good to me. Thank you for appearing before the committee today. Any other questions before we show up for dinner . I was going to ask unanimous there has been talk about senators meeting or not meeting with russians, i would ask unanimous consent to have this part of the record, an article from march 3, 2017, a list of democrats who also met with the Russian Ambassador. Also this article from june 26 regarding senator mccaskills tweet that she got no call or meeting with Russian Ambassador ever, then it turns out she met with the Russian Ambassador at his home. I would like those in the record. Rep. Franks without objection. The gentleman from georgia is recognized for five minutes. I have been in on the other thing we have with tax reform. Attorney general sessions, thank you for being here. I will say i am from georgia. There was something said earlier in this hearing that i was just going to pass by, i was just but the let it go, sound of fingernails on a chalk but the sound of fingernails on a chalk board, especially this week, when i heard war eagle. [laughter] congratulations. You all did well and we didnt. Thank you for coming. I have listened to your questions. I appreciate your honesty. Even if we disagree. I have talked to previous attorney generals and they could not admit that 65 in a 55 was against the law. I do believe your work in the senate shows we can come together and there is compromised. One area important to this community is criminal justice reform. One of the problems we have is gravitate toward the sticking points, instead of assigning areas where we can Work Together. Wouldnt you say an approach where we can start finding solutions would help us get to this point where we have sticking points . Yes, i think there are things that are definitely doable that we all could agree need to be fixed. Rep. Collins i think some. From a liberal or conservative perspective, it doesnt matter. Are valuedur people are we doing what we can to redeem the folks that are in there, and give them an ability to have a better life when they get out . We have a bipartisan bill called the redemption act. It is taking those once they get in the federal system, starting them early, and making sure they have a path to lowering the recidivism rate. What we have run into, there seems to be this kneejerk we will package it together with tinkerbell. With a bigger bill. If we could get a bill that does not deal with sentencing, time off, work release, to give them a tenable goals, so that when they come out the recidivism rate is lower. Bigwig in work that in the house and get back to the president who has been supportive of this summer you believe that is a workable solution . Youet so stuck on things cannot do, wouldnt it be good if we started something we could do. I believe that Prerelease Program can be effective, most of the time, in my experience. They do not achieve huge results, but if its 10 or 20 or 15 , that is up value. What i have learned and perhaps he would like to examine it is, the Inspector General at the his viewt of justice, of their Prerelease Programs is that some of them are not very effective and some of them are. Not enough attention hasnt put on it, and maybe enough money could be better and more effectively spent. We have a new president commissioner of the viewer of prisons and he is open to this. I am hopeful that we can improve that and fundamentally, we do need to make sure that anything that is done with regards to these reentry programs, that we have studied the best ones and try to make sure our money is going to the better programs as opposed to send that may not be as efficient. Thank you for the rousing endorsement of the bill. And get people from the minute they start in, puts them on a plan while they are in prison. We are not taking about getting mouseclick, it is about it is not about getting them out of the prison break, it is making sure that they have skill sets when they leave that the recidivism rate is down. It is an evidencebased approach. This is an approach that we are seeing work in places like georgia, kentucky and others. I appreciate your commitment to law and order. Letter is a Georgia State trooper, for 31 years. He fought the law, and i would understand Law Enforcements role but also understand that after they get there and pay for their crime, what we can do as a society. How we can look at these folks and say, how can we give you a chance, and it is up to you. I think it is something we can move forward on both in the house in the house and the senate and give the department of justice and the residence has been to build up on as a work on sentencing reform. I appreciate you being here today, and what you are the president our working on has been appreciated. Thank you all. I yield back. Thank you very much, i want to thank benjamin from georgia for ending on a high note. Sessionsy that general and all of us look forward to working with you and you have answered all of our questions here today in what i think is a manner that befits you as attorney general of the United States. I think you very much or that. To thankthat i want you and i want to thank all of the members. Members will have time to submit additional materials for the record. The hearing is adjourned. [gavel pound] [indiscernible conversation] cspan, where history unfolds daily. 1979, cspan was created as a Public Service by americas companiesevision and is brought today by your cable or satellite provider. Today on cspan, washington journals live with your phone call, next. House returns a 10 00 for general speeches, and at 12 00 to modernize the a facilities. On cspan3, the Senate Finance committee continues its multiday review of the Senate Republican tax reform proposal. Live coverage when that starts at 10 00 a. M. Coming up in 30 minutes, Indiana Republican congresswoman susan brooks discusses measures to combat Sexual Harassment on capitol hill. Democratic representative john larson reviews republican tax reform effort. Finally, lisa monaco talks about preventing future terrorist attacks. Join our conversation now. Host good morning, it is wednesday, november 15, 2017. The senate is in at 9 30 while the house meets at 10 00 a. M. And noon for legislative business. This is the day after jeff , fromns latest testimony everything to Trump Campaign contacts with russia to allegations against Hillary Clinton and Sexual Assault accusations against Alabama Senate candidate roy