Transcripts For CSPAN2 LIVE U.S. Senate 20171114

Leading the department of justice, an agency that by its very nature is prone to controversy because of the publics varied opinions on what it seeks to what it means to seek and obtain justice. However, you clearly understand that the department you lead must have the confidence of the American People even when your decisions are not always well received. Your first year leading the department of justice has not been without difficulty which is expected at the outset of a new administration. While much has been done to correct the improper Political Engagement by the department of justice under the obama administration, more work must be done to insure the department is operating to impartially administer justice. Our last doj oversight hearing was beyond disappointing. Attorney general Loretta Lynch gave the least full many and least fulsome and least transparent testimony that i can recall in my time in congress. It was plainly a disservice to the American People. Ms. Lynch failed to respond substantively to nearly every question posed by members of this committee. Before ms. Lynch, former attorney general eric holder became the first attorney general in history to be held in contempt by the house of representatives for his own stonewalling with regard to documents connected to the reckless operation fast and furious. I expect, mr. Attorney general, that you will be more willing to candidly answer questions from members on both sides of the aisle. Youre going to hear question after question today concerning your knowledge of or involvement with russia and its alleged efforts to interfere in the 2016 president ial election. Whether it concerns your work on behalf of nowPresident Trump during the campaign or your service in the senate, i suspect this theme will be a constant refrain from my friends on the other side of the aisle. While i understand your decision to recuse yourself was an effort by you to do the right thing, i believe you as a person of integrity would have been impartial and fair in following the facts wherever they led. I have chosen as chairman of this committee to let special Counsel Robert Mueller do his job free from uni due political influence undue political influence. At the same time, however, this committee will do its duty and conduct oversight of the department of justice. To that end, we sent two letters to you calling on you to name a Second Special counsel to restore the publics confidence in our Justice System. Numerous matters connected to the 2016 election remain unresolved. To date, the department has not appointed a Second Special counsel. Consequently, this committee had no choice but to open our own joint investigation with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to review doj and fbis handling of the investigation into former secretary Hillary Clinton and her mishandling of classified information. As we said earlier this year, it is incumbent on this committee in oversight capacity to insure that the agencies we oversee are above reproach and the Justice Department remains immune to accusations of politicization. Whoever is attorney general, the Justice Department must even handedly administer justice. You have recused yourself from matters stemming from the 2016 election, but there are significant concerns that the partisanship of the fbi and the department has weakened the ability of each to act objectively. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this and what steps you are taking to remove politics from Law Enforcement. However, these investigations are but a few of the many important issues we need to discuss today. For instance, we just overwhelmingly reported the usa liberty act out of Committee Last week. This Bipartisan Legislation would reauthorize section 702 of the foreign Intelligence Surveillance act. The administration has chosen to oppose any reform of the law. I understand the desire for a clean reauthorization of this vital program. However, i believe this stance is a miscalculation that risks further eroding trust in our intelligence apparatus. We hope we can work with you now that the usa liberty act which reauthorizes a law that is vital to our nations battle against terrorism while protecting American Civil Liberties has been reported off the committee. This is out of the committee. This is especially important given the ongoing threat of terrorist attacks in the United States. As we all know, not two weeks ago eight people were killed and almost a dozen injured when an isisinspired jihadist drove a rented pickup truck into a crowded bicycle path near the World Trade Center in new york. The terrorist threat is real and ongoing. We cannot afford to play politics with National Security. I also look forward to continue to work with you on efforts to reform our nations criminal Justice System. There is bipartisan support to do this in congress, and with your help we can make changes that crack down on violent offenders while also doing more to rehabilitate federal prisons and curb abuses in the system as well as excessive punishments. To your credit, since you assumed leadership of the department of justice there has been a significant increase in the prosecution of firearms offenses in the United States. For years i have criticized lax enforcement of the gun laws already on the books. Enforcing these laws is the most effective way to combat Violent Crime in our cities and neighborhoods. Under your leadership the number of defendants charged with Unlawful Possession of a firearm has increased by nearly 25 . The number of defendants charged with armed Drug Trafficking has increased 10 . I commend you for your focus on these prosecutions because they will help make our streets safer. There are many other matters on which we share common ground, especially when it comes to rectifying the failures of the obama administration. For example, earlier this year the house passed legislation to ban settlement payments to nonvictim third parties following your policy directive to shut down the use of such mandatory donations. And find and remove them in a gang members. Mr. Attorney general our country is at a crossroads. Our constituents or break gravely concerned that a Justice System does not work for them. Under your leadership the Justice Department has taken strides to mitigate the harm done in the prior administration. I implore you to work with us to continue that trend and i thank you sincerely for your parents here today. I now recognize the Ranking Member of the committee the gentleman from michigan mr. Conyers for his opening statement. Thank you mr. Chairman. Top of the morning. In the ordinary course of business any anyone of a dozen topics related to the department of justice would be worthy of its own hearing and to be clear i would rather spend our time today discussing the upkeep of the criminal Justice System, enforcement of civil rights than the work we must all do to ensure access to the ballot box. Instead, we must spend our time debating the troubles of a wayward administration and how they attorney general conducts himself before congress, how President Trump undermines the integrity of the Justice System and how the department continues to ignore the oversight requests of this committee. Although this is the attorney generals first appearance before the house, he has already made three visits to our colleagues in the senate. At his confirmation hearing, he testified that he did not have communications with the russians russians. Last month he testified with the continuing exchange of information between trump is surrogates and intermediaries for the russian government did not happen, at least to my knowledge and not with me. We now know of course that neither of these statements is true. Shortly after the attorney general made the first comment, the Washington Post reported he met with the Russian Ambassador at least twice during the campaign. In the past month we have also learned that the attorney general must have been very much aware of the continuing exchange of information between the Trump Campaign and the russian government. In documents unsealed last month, board George Papadopoulos the foreignpolicy adviser to the Trump Campaign, admits to Extensive Communications with russian contacts. At a march 31, 2016 meeting of the campaigns National Security Advisory Committee attended by candidate trump and chaired by senator sessions, esther papadopoulos stated in psalm and substance that he had connections that could help arrange a meeting between ben candidate trump and president putin. It does not matter and has been reported that the attorney general remembers this meeting afterthefact. He remembers is so vividly in fact that two sources say the senator shot george down. Under oath, knowing in advance that he would be asked about this subject the attorney general gave answers that were at best incomplete. I hope the attorney general can provide some clarification of this problem in his remarks today. I also hope he can insure us that the department is weathering near daily attacks on its independence by President Trump and that no office of the department is being used to pressure the president s political enemies. In recent months, President Trump has attacked the beleaguered attorney general and criticized his very weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes in quotations. The president has talked openly about honoring the leadership of the department including the attorneys general, the deputy attorneys general, the former acting director of the fbi and special Counsel Robert Mueller. He did fire former fbi or comey in his own words quote because of that rush is saying with trump and russia in quotations. As well as acting attorney general sally yates and all 46 sitting United States attorneys. Last year he denigrated a federal judge because of his quote mexican heritage unquote. Judge curiel was born in indiana by the way. Last month in a radio interview President Trump said he was very unhappy with the Justice Department. Hours later he proclaimed the military Justice System a complete and total disgrace. The one that sticks with me as is the president s july interview with the new york times. It in that interview, he begins by once again attacking the attorney generals credibility. Sessions never should have recused himself the president complains. Then the conversation takes a sinister turn. When nixon came along, out of courtesy the fbi started reporting to the department of justice that the fbi person really reports directly to the president of the United States. He goes on, i could have ended the Flynn Investigation just by saying, they say it cant be obstruction because you can say it has ended, its over, period. As is often the case the president requires some correction. The director of the fbi reports directly to the attorney general general. In a sense the founding of the bureau can be obstruction of justice if the president orders an investigation close with a corrupt motive but what strikes me about his comments is the president s view that the criminal Justice System serves him and not the public. President trump seems to believe that on a whim he can bring pressure to bear on his enemies, dismiss charges against his allies and insulate himself and his family from any consequence. I cannot over emphasize the danger of this perspective it poses to our republic. I have served on this committee long enough to remember another president who shared this view. I was myself on Richard Nixons enemy list and although we worked to hold that Administration Accountable our work is not complete. We must all remember our common responsibility to prevent that kind of abuse from happening again. I will look to the attorney generals partnership in this effort but i have begun to worry about his resolve. Last night the letter sent to the department to chairman goodlatte without so much as a copy to the Ranking Member by the way, the assistant attorney general seems to leave the door open to appointing a new special counsel to cater to the president s political needs. The fact that this letter was sent to the majority without the customary and appropriate notice to me indicates that the charge given to the Department Official to evaluate these issues has political motivations. Now, in his own words the attorney general is recused from any questions involving investigations that involve secretary clinton. Further, we cannot do for an investigation to a second counsel if we lack the evidence to predicate a criminal investigation in the first place place. Virtually every clinton related matter that President Trump complains about has been well litigated, carefully examined and completely debunked. Still, to quote former attorney general michael mukasey, putting political opponents in jail for offenses committed in a political setting is something that we dont do hear. The threat resembles in his words, a banana republic. Finally there is the matter of routine oversight between hearings. In the recent history of this Committee New attorneys generally usually come to see us within two or three months of taking office. No would turn a general in recent memory has taken more than six months before making an appearance here. Attorney general sessions has broken that norm. He has had more than 10 months to settle in making our communications with the department between hearings that much more important. To date, my colleagues and i have sent more than 40 letters to the Trump Administration asking for information necessary to carry out our oversight responsibilities. We have sent more than a dozen of these letters directly to the attorney general. To date, we have not received a single substantive response. We can disagree on matters of policy mr. Attorney general but you cannot keep us in the dark forever. When we make a reasonable oversight requests we expect you to reply in a prompt and responsive manner and i hope you can explain why your department has chosen to ignore these letters. More importantly, i hope that you will be more forward coming with your answers both in your testimony today and in the weeks to come and i look forward to your testimony and mr. Chairman i thank you and give back the balance of my time. Thank you mr. Conyers. Without objection aldi members statements will be made up part of the record. If you youll please rise i will begin by swearing u. N. Please raise your right hand. You solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . Thank you. Let the record show the witness answered in the affirmative. Mr. Jeff sessions was sworn in as 84th attorney general did i say that there were nine, 2017 from 1996 to his confirmation to lead the department of justice. Mr. Sessions served as a United States senator for obama to previously attorney general sessions served as an assistant United States attorney attorney and United States attorney for the Southern District of alabama alabama. Alabama attorney general and captain in the United States army reserve. Attorney general sessions is a graduate of Huntington College and the university of alabama law school. Welcome attorney general sessions. Your entire written statement will be entered into the record and we ask that you summarize your testimony in five minutes but i have noted that the Ranking Member took a few more minutes and if you find it necessary please feel free to do that as well. Welcome. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman its an honor to be before this distinguished committee having served for 20 years as your counterpart on the Senate Judiciary committee. Mr. Chairman i must know and i note with regret here the announcement of the retirement and i know that our relationship has been in the past and i hope it will continue to be good good. You have done a fabulous job in leading this committee. On my first day as attorney general i spoke about quote the Critical Role we at the department play in maintaining and strengthening the rule of law which form the foundation of our liberty, our safety and our prosperity. In this rule of law where blessed beyond all nations. I truly believe that ended this department we must do all we can to ensure that it is preserved and advanced. Such ideals, trends and policies. From that day to today we at the department of justice have worked to be faithful to that mission. Let me share some things that we have done. The president set up in order to reduce crime, not to allow crime to continue to increase and we embrace the fact that the Violent Crime rate has risen in the homicide rate has risen by more than 20 in just two years really after 30 years of decline in Violent Crimes. After careful review we have established a reintegrate reinvigorated Safe Neighborhood Program as a transitional policy for public safety. Its been proven to get results. In his first seven years of implementation a reduced Violent Crime by 4. 1 with case study showing reductions in certain areas where it was intensely applied of up to 42 so we are also focusing on criminals with guns as you mention mr. Chairman and we have seen a 23 increase in gun prosecutions in the Second Quarter of this fiscal year, my first year. Im honored to lead the superb men and women of the fbi, Drug Enforcement administration, atf and the United States Marshal Service who Work Together every day with our state and local partners in this core crimefighting mission that is the responsibility of the department. Last year we saw a staggering 61 increase in the number of Law Enforcement officers killed in the line of duty with regards to a felony and on average more than 150 officers were assaulted every single day. These numbers are unacceptable. Fortunately the president understands this. He corrected us at the beginning of my administrative to protect our men and women in blue. We are making it clear that we stand with our Law Enforcement partners 100 . They are the solution to crime, not the problem. We have also protected the rule of law in our own department. Prohibited socalled thirdparty settlements are being used to bankroll special interest groups. We have settled civil cases regarding the Affordable Care act Birth Control mandate. Many groups of taxexempt groups whose status was significantly and wrongfully delayed by the Internal Revenue service. We have also provided Legal Counsel to this administration in favor of ending several other unlawful policies. This includes President Trumps order ending billions in funding for Insurance Companies that were not appropriated by congress under the Affordable Care act. This act filed a lawsuit which stopped and put them into one of the term was dramatic erosion in our history. House members you were correct in the challenge at 21 and the District Court and we believe you are correct and we have reversed the policy and had that matter withdrawn, the policy withdrawn. They put them into actions by the Previous Administration to circumvent congresss newly passed immigration laws under daca. The policy gave individuals that were here illegally certificates of lawful status, work permits and the right to participate in social security. We would we would do that unlawful policy and now the issues in the hands of congress where it belongs. We have filed briefs properly enacting state but our dedication allows redistricting plans, religious liberty and free speech on college campuses. In short it is our mission to restore the American Peoples conscience in the department of justice by defending the rule of law and enforcing the laws and abuse you have passed them and it is a mission we are honored to undertake. In response to letters from this committee and others federal prosecutors to make recommendations as to whether any matters not currently and her investigation should be open open, whether any matters currently under investigation require further resources and whether any matters under consideration may merit the appointment of the congressional counsel. And as you are aware of the department of Inspector General has an active review of allegations that fbi policies and procedures were not followed last year is another matter youve addressed to mr. Chairman the letter was addressed to you because it was in response to your letter and thats how was sent. We will make such decisions without regard, hear me, without regard to politics, ideology. As many of you know the person has a longstanding policy not to confirm or deny the existence of investigation. This policy can be frustrating i understand especially when there is great Public Interest about a matter but it enhances justice when we act under the law with professionalism and discipline. This policy necessarily precludes any discussion on cases i may be recused from because to do so would confirm the existence of underlying investigations. To the extent a matter comes to the attention of my office that may warrant consideration of recusal ill review the issue consult with the appropriate departments at officials and make my decision. As i promised the Senate Committee when i was confirmed. Lastly i would like to address the false charges made about my previous testimony. My answers have not changed. I have always told the truth and i have answered every question as i have understood them to the best of my recollection as i will continue to do today. I would like to address recent use regarding meetings of the campaign attended by George Papadopoulos and carter page among others. Frankly i have no recollection of this meeting until i saw these news reports. I do now or call at the march 2016 meeting at the trump hotel and mr. Papadopoulos attended but have no clear recollection of the details of what he said at that meeting. After reading his account and to the best of my recollection i believe that i want to make clear to him that he was not authorized to represent the campaign with the russian government or any other Foreign Government for that matter. I did not recall this event which occurred 18 months before my testimony of a few weeks ago and i would gladly have reported it had i remembered it because i pushed back to his suggestion that i thought it may have been improper. As for mr. Page while i do not challenge his recollection i have no memory of his presence at a dinner at the Capitol Hill Club on any passing conversations he may have had with me as he left the dinner. All of you have been in campaigns let me just suggest but not in a president ial campaign and none of you had a part in the Trump Campaign. It was a Brilliant Campaign i think in many ways but it was a form of chaos every day from day one. We traveled sometimes to several places in one day. Sleep was in short supply and i was a senator with a very full schedule. During this year ive spent close to 20 hours testifying before congress before today. Ive been asked to remember details from a year ago such as who i saw on what they and what meeting and who said what when. In all of my testimony i can only do my best to answer your questions as i understand them and to the best of my memory. But i will not accept and reject accusations that ive ever lied. That is a lie. Let me be clear, i have at all times conducted myself honorably and in a manner consistent with the high standards and responsibilities of the office of attorney general which i revere. I spent 15 years in that department. I love that department. I honor that department and will do my level best to be worthy as your attorney general. As i said before my story is never change. Ive always told the truth and ive answered every question to the best of my recollection and i will continue to do so today. With that mr. Chairman im honored to take your questions. We now know that once the campaign had dedications with the russians to mr. Papadopoulos and others you seem to wear of the fact of the time. Lets correct the earlier testimony for the record. Yes or no did you attend a meeting of the National Security Advisory Committee . I did share that meeting. Yes or no did mr. Papadopoulos mentioned the russian government during that meeting . He made several comments to that effect as i remember after having read the newspaper. Zach answer yes or no. Out of time. Their reports you shut george down when he proposed that meeting with putin. Is this correct . Yes or no . Yes. I pushed back. Yes. You are obviously concerned mr. Papadopoulos connections and possibly arranging a meeting with putin. Again yes or no did anyone else in that meeting including canada trump or act in any way to what mr. Papadopoulos had presented . I dont recall. You make your testimony is neither donald trump or anyone else in the meeting expressed any interest in meeting the russian president or any concerns about communication between the campaign and the russians . I dont recall. We know from multiple sources including the papadopoulos guilty plea in donald trump jr. s emails among others are contrary to your earlier testimony there were continued efforts to indicate that the russians on behalf of the Trump Campaign. It was establishing about some these efforts and cause you such concern that you quote shut george down. I want to know he did with this information. Yes or no after the march 31 meeting did you take any steps to prevent Trump Campaign officials or employees from further outreach to the russians . Mr. Nadler let me just say it this way. You made statements that he did in fact at the meeting i did push back. I know that. I have to be able to answer. Im not going to be able to answer if i can answer completely. You said you push back and we accept that but after the meeting did you take any further steps to prevent Trump Campaign advisories or employees to further after your push back at the meeting . What i want to say to you as you alleged there was further contacts later. Dont believe i had any further knowledge of any further contact and i was not in regular contact with mr. Papadopoulos. Thank your answer is no because you dont think there were any such meetings. Im not aware of it. Did you raise the issue but your answer is no. To the best of my recollection. In your testimony today you spoke to nobody in the campaign after the march 31 meeting because nothing happened. Her testimony therefore is that you communicate with nobody on the campaign about this matter after the march 31 meeting. I dont recall. At some point you became aware the fbi was investigating potential links between the Trump Campaign in the russian government. After you became aware of the investigation did you discuss mr. Papadopoulos with anybody in the fbi . Did i discuss the matter with the fbi and asked them questions about what they may have found . I have not had any discussions with mr. Mueller or his team or the fbi concerning any factors. Nobody else with the fbi either . No. And the department of justice . No. The white house . No. Any members of congress . The conversation may have come up with some time but not to obtain information. With regard to your broad question i dont recall at this moment sitting here with any such discussion. The time of the gentleman has expired. We have a lot of people want to ask questions. I took the liberty of reviewing federal crimes against children particularly those dealing with or physical abuse. As you well know lee coffman Debbie Miller gibson and Beverly Young nelson, these young women have accused this individual judge moore who is running for a federal office the United States senate of child activity. Do you believe these young women women . I have no reason to doubt these young women. With that in mind if you believe these young women do believe judge moore should be seated in the senate if he winds and will you introduce investigations by the doj regarding his actions . We will invite later for case as to whether or not it should be investigated. This kind of case would normally be a state case. I would say representative jacksonlee that the ethics people at the department of justice and i have talked with them about this when the campaign started. Secede i used to hold and they advised me the attorney general should not be involved in this campaign. I have friends in the campaign. Thank you attorney general. It becomes United States senate there would be a possibility of referring his case for a least a federal review by the department of justice. We will do our duty. Attorney general appreciate your service at the Justice Department. Frankly i appreciate yesterdays letter saying you were considering appointing a special counsel that you sent to us but my concern is we sent you a letter three to help on the go asking for a Second Special counsel and a few are now just considering it whats it going to take to get a special counsel . We know that former fbi director james comey misled the American People in the summer of 2016 when he called the clinton investigation i matter. We know fbi director comey was drafting an exoneration letter before the investigation was complete. Five days before secretary clinton was scheduled to be interviewed by the fbi met with former bill clinton on the tarmac in phoenix. After that eating when she was corresponding with Public Relations people in the Justice Department using the name Elizabeth Carlisle as i said before seems to me if you are talking about grandkids you can probably use your real name. We know that mr. Comey publicized the investigation we know he made the final decision on whether to prosecute or not. And then when he gets fired what was his goal . To create momentum for special counsel and it cant be any special counsel. Has to be bob mueller his predecessor. Bob mueller who was involved in this whole investigation with the informant regarding russian businesses wanting to do business in uranium in nine states regarding the uranium one deal. I guess my main question is whats it going to take if all that not to mention the dossier information was it going to take to get a special counsel . Would take a factual based to meet the standards of the appointment of a special counsel. Is that a mouse is going on right now . Its in the manual of the department of justice about what is required. We have only had two and the first one was the waco janet reno investigation special counsel and mr. Mueller. Those are pretty special factual situations. We would use the proper standards and thats the only thing i can tell you mr. Jordan. Sometimes we have to study what the facts are and to evaluating whether it needs the standards required a special counsel. We know one fact or the Clinton Campaign and the Democratic National committee paid for through the law firm paid for the dossier. We know that happened and it sure looks like the fbi was paying the author of that document and it sure looks like the Major Political party was working with the federal government to then turn and Opposition Research document from the National Inquirer story into an intelligence dr. Take that to the fisa court so they can get a warrant. Thats what it looks like and im asking you doesnt that warrant in addition to all the things we know about james comey and 2016 doesnt that warrant a special counsel as 20 members of committee wrote you bring up months ago asking you to do . Mr. Comey is no longer the director of the of the eye. We have an excellent man of integrity and ability and i think hes going to do an outstanding job. He is not here attorney general. The time of the gentleman has expired. Is knotted enough basis to acquire a special counsel. A simple question. To remove him impeachments in the house been a connection with that role to remove president clinton from office you gave a speech on the senate floor in february 29, 1999 and in it you acknowledge that while serving as u. S. Attorney you once prosecuted the young Police Officer who lied in the deposition. In that speech you decided to prosecute that young Police Officer even though he corrected his testimony. You testified under oath before the Senate Judiciary committee in january. You subsequently corrected that testimony and a march 6 written submission and have been forced repeatedly to come back to the senate and now the house to clarify. When explaining your vote on the senate floor to remove bill clinton from office he stated you refuse to hold a president accountable to a different standard than the young Police Officer who you prosecuted. Let me be clear the attorney general of the United States of america should not be held to a different standard than the young Police Officer whose life you ruined by prosecuting him for perjury. I yield back. The gentleman may respond. Mr. Jeffries nobody, nobody, not you or anyone else should be prosecuted. Not me should be accused of perjury for answering the question the way i did in this hearing. I have always tried to answer questions fairly and accurately but if you ever meet with russians and deal with the campaign you are saying mr. Carter page left at meeting according to the press reports and his deposition or interview is reported as saying i am going to russia. I made no response, didnt acknowledge it and you are accusing me of lying about that . Id say thats not fair mr. Jeffries. I would say thats not fair colleagues. Thats not any indication that i am in any way participate in anything wrong than the same with mr. Papadopoulos. He talked about in the paper that he said something about going to russia in dealing with the russians and i pushed back and i said you shouldnt do it. So i dont think its right to accuse me of doing something wrong. I had no participation in any wrongdoing with vergard to influence in this campaign. The cia director is judged wikileaks is a nonstate intelligence service. Do you agree . Im not able to disagree with that. You are aware of its activities more more than i. Spam President Trump throughout the Campaign Said i love wikileaks. Do you love wikileaks mr. Attorney general . Im not a fan of wikileaks. You think it was appropriate that donald trump jr. Committee kid with wikileaks during the campaign . Im not able to make a judgment about that. Thank you mr. Attorney general. The committee will stand in recess. We had an exchange earlier today with you and the representative from ohio mr. Jordan and he said it seems like this and it seems like that and at the end of that you made a comment and i can only paraphrase because i didnt write down the exact copy. My notices seems like. You were saying you cant base a case on something that seems like something but in essence very notion of probable cause indicates something seems like something it seems like that person probably committed that act which seems like its in violation of the law. So i guess im trying to get verification of that. This congress has a right to ask for information and has the right to express its opinion about whether special counsel should be appointed but its my responsibility to evaluate it and i would have to or in some cases the deputy would have to feel that they are the kind of circumstances that would justify. We just have to know and i want you all to know that a special counsel is required i am sure anyone else in the department would have the responsibility would name one. If not we have to say it is not required. I would say our department would eviscerate the fbi and our team at the department of justice. I feel like we can do work but there are some cases that get so significant that have such a level it becomes a Public Interest question that has to be evaluated. I have no prejudgment. The reason i hope the chairman will give you a second night did not mean to suggest i was taking aside one way or the other on that subject is simply responding that we would have to have full and effective and detailed factual evaluation before you make a decision on whether or not a special counsel is required. I have made no prejudgment. I appreciate that but what im getting at particularly is even with the idea that many people are questioning the impartiality of mr. Rosenstein to this would be absence of landline to help make the decision on special counsel. I am not aware that he has a problem in that regard but if so we have senior counsel in the department who would give advice on that. We all have to be sure that we are not crossing that line. Thank you mr. Chairman for indulging us. You can watch all of this hearing with attorney general sessions tonight on cspan. Today republican Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell spoke to reporters about the republican tax reform bill. Senator mcconnell was asked about Senate Candidate roy moore following this news conference. We will hear from democratic leader chuck schumer