States or the world or russia, in my opinion. Reporter do you believe we have a strategy in order to counter these everincreasing threats to our National Security and our way of life . Not sufficiently. We do not have a sufficient strategy dealing with technological and i. T. Penetrations of our system. I truly believe its more important than i ever did before, and i appreciate your concern and leadership on that issue and, in fact, all of congress is going to have to do better. Senators times expired. Chair would recognize the vice chair. Thank you, mr. Chairman and general sessions, thank you, and i particularly appreciate your last comments with senator mccain about the seriousness of this threat and its why so many of us on this committee are concerned when the whole question of russian intervention, the president continues to refer to it as a witch hunt and fake news, and there doesnt seem to be a recognition of the seriousness of this threat. I share, i think most members do, the idea the russians massively interfered and want to continue to interfere not to fave one party or the other but their own interest, and it is of enormous concern we have to hear from the administration how theyre going to take that on. Also, the comments have been made here about where we had in terms of some of the Trump Associates who may have had contacts with russians. Weve not gotten to all that yet because of the unprecedented firing of the f. B. I. Director that was leading this very same russia investigation, it superseded some of our activities. So those members that i hope will persue the troubling amount of smoke at least out there between individuals affiliated two the trump campaign, possibly advertise with russia. Ive not reached conclusions but weve got to pursue that. Final comment, and i understand your point, but there were a series of comments made by mr. Comey last week. I think members on this side of the aisle indicated understand executive privilege, understand classified setting. I do think we need as senator reed and harris and others indicated, if there are longstanding, written procedures about this ability to have some other category to protect the conversations with the president , we would like to get a look at them because we need to find out, in light of some of the contradictions between today and last week, where this all heads. At the end of the day, this is not only let me restate what i said last time, this is not about relitigating 2016. It is about finding out what happened, about serious allegations about potential ties, but on a foregoing business making sure that the russians who are not finished in terms of their activities, we know 2016 is yong going and we have to be prepared better in an ongoing basis. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, a brief comment. I want to say that the chains at the top of the f. B. I. Should have no impact whatsoever on the investigation. Those teams will be continuing to work and have not been altered in any way. But there were a number of strange comments that mr. Comey testified last week that you could, i believe, shed some light on. But well continue. General sessions, thank you again for your willingness to be here. Not sure you knew it, but your replacement sat through most of this hearing, luther strange,. Hes made us regret we dont have intramural basketball teams. Big luther is a good round ball player, tulane. You have been asked a wide range of questions, and i think youve answered things related to claims about the meeting at the mayflower, youve answered questions that surround the reasons for your recusal and the fact you had never been briefed since day one on the investigation, that you made clear that you cant think of any other conversations that youve had with russian officials. Youve covered in detail the conversation that you u had, though brief, with director comey that he referenced to after his private meeting with the president , just to name a few things that i think youve helped us to clear up. There were several questions that you chose not to answer because of confidentiality with the president. I would only ask you, now, to go back and work with the white house to see if there are any areas of questions that they feel comfortable with you answering, and, if they do, that you provide those answers in writing to the committee. I would also be remiss if i didnt remind you that those documents that you can provide for the committee, they would be helpful to us for the purposes of sorting time lines out. Anything that substantiates your testimony today, individuals who might have been at events that youre familiar, with especially those that work for you, would be extremely helpful and, more importantly, i want to thank you for your agreement to have a continuing dialogue with us, as we might need to ask some additional questions as we go a little further down the investigation. That certainly does not have to be a public hearing, but it may be an exchange and a dialogue that we have. You have helped us tremendously, and were grateful to you and to mary for the unbelievable sacrifice that you made in this institution but also now this administration. This hearing is now adjourned. Thank you. Pelley and so ends the Senate IntelligenceCommittee Hearing with the attorney general Jeff Sessions describing what he recalled and did not recall about the russia investigation and the firing of former f. B. I. Director james comey. Sessions began with a forceful defense of his own actions, but, during the course of the hearing, also frustrated many senators by declining repeatedly to answer questions about conversations that he had had with the president. John dickerson, what did you make of this two and a halfhour hearing . There are three elements to this investigation. The first is did the russians try to meddle in the elections, and thats something the president said might be true or might not be, might be the chinese or some hacker. Attorney general sessions came down on the side the russians did it and this is an important thing to find out. The second part is was there ans very strong. Thats where he gave his most forceful defenses of himself, saying the third meeting with the russians is basically nothing. Where he got quite murky is the question of obstruction of justice, flnls by the president , either in firing james comey or anything else regarding this investigation. In all of that, he basically punted on those questions saying the president might exert executive privilege and he wasnt going to answer. Pelley now, lets look just briefly at what the attorney general said at the beginning of the hearing in his forceful defense of his own actions. I have never met with or had any conversation with any russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States. Further, i have no knowledge of any such conversations by anyone connected to the trump campaign. I was your colleague in this body for 20 years at least some of you and i and the suggestion that i participated in any collusion, that i was aware of any collusion with the russian government to hurt this country, which i have served with honor for 35 years, or to undermine the integrity of our democratic process is an appalling and detestable lie. Pelley now, jan crawford, that was about as forthcoming as the attorney general got as the questions wore on this afternoon. He repeatedly declined to answer any questions that related to his conversations with the president , and a lot of democrats on the panel in particular thought that was the most important thing that he could degree. Well, of course, because theyre wanting to know what the president told him about why he really was firing james comey, or was the president really concerned about this investigation . And sessions just flatley refused to reveal any of those private conversations that he had had with the president , that hadnt already been publicly disclosed. And he kept saying that he felt that it was this not an executive privilege but he needed to keep those communications private. Now, it is true, i mean, that there is this Longstanding Justice Department policy, specifically the office of Legal Counsel, that a president is entitled to Confidential Communications with his senior advisers, and there are various memos from the office of Legal Counsel that outline all of that. And separately, i mean the Supreme Court has said that a president is entitled, based on separation of 0ur powerses conc, based on this zone of confidentiality. If this committee wants answers from jeff session, theyre going to have to try to bring some kind of contempt action and hold him in contempt of congress which republicans have a majority on that committee. What are the odds theyre going to do that . Zero. And even if they did, then what would happen . President trump would then be forced to say, im asserting executive privilege. Jeff session is not going to answer these questions. Or he could say, gahead and answer the questions. But that would force the president s hand. And president s historically are very reluctant to assert executive privilege because it comes at a political cost. We see here that Jeff Sessions is saying there are these memos and policies, longstanding traditions of the justice department, that he should not have to reveal these private communications. Pelley senator heinrich, held the attorney generals feet to the fire on this subject. Lets have a look at that. I am asking about your personal knowledge from this committee which has a constitutional obligation to get to the bottom of this. There are two investigations here. There is a special counsel investigation. There is also a congressional investigation. And you are obstructing that congressional delegation investigation by not answering these questions. And i think your silence, like the silence of director coats, like the silence of admiral rogers, speaks volumes. I would say that i have consulted with senior career attorneys in this the department i suspect you have. And this is consistent with my duties. Pelley so, john dickerson, months and months and months to go in this investigation. Thats right. And the answers are not going to come from congress if this continues because on this question of influencing the investigation or obstruction because of this, what jan so nicely explained, unless republicans are willing to charge him with contempt and that doesnt look like its going to happen. Pelley john dickerson, jan crawford, thank you very much. There will be much more on this on your local news on this cbs station, always on our streaming network, cbsn, and, of course, zeal a full wrapup right here on the cbs evening news. Until then, im scott pelley, cbs news in new york. Were here, comfortable with these jurors who are going to review the facts, of the case, and they will make the right decision. Now at 5 00 jury deliberations continue for a second day and bill cosbys Sexual Assault trial, and a conviction cut could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. Aim jessica dean. Aim jim donovan. Jury deliberating case has asked a judge a few questions as they worked to come to the decision. Our joe holden is live in Montgomery County courthouse in norristown with the break down of all of todays developments. Good afternoon, joe. Reporter jim, jessica, good afternoon. It has been watching, waiting at Montgomery County courthouse in norristown. Hundreds of reporters, cameras camped out here waiting for this jury to come back, with a verdict. As you mentioned there have been questions, questions, ranging from the pills that cosby admits he gave to andrea constand. The question though back to those pills is what was the context, was there ever consent on andrea constands part and also, a question late in the day, about andrea constands 2005 initial report to police, that triggered this entire case. Bill cosby legendary actor comedian and pitch man once a Temple University trustee until his recent legal troubles is in the fight of his life. The philadelphia native could lose his freedom if convicted on any of the charges of indecent assault. Cosby through his attorney have strongly denied core allegation in the case that he drugged, and molested a woman he was mentoring in 2004. That woman is andrea constand, the prime witness in the case from can inadequacies, first filed a Police Report in 2005 about the night she says cosby offered her three pills to help her relax. The d. A. At the time shut down the investigation citing a lack of evidence. Cosby sat for a deposition that was sealed for a decade. He outlined giving constand pills and proceeded with what was described an ongoing intimate relationship. Conn stan claims the pills rendered her incapacitated. She awoke to cosby assaulted her. Kevin steel, the Montgomery County d. A. Inherited the case upon taking the job. His office landed significant pretrial victories, and getting Critical Evidence admitted, including the once sealed deposition as sources say it is damming for cosby. Brian mcmonigal a long time philadelphia criminal defense attorney has led cosbys team, fight to go keep him from jail mcmonigal only put on one witness, testimony that lasted six minutes. He has attempted to spotlight inconsistency in constands story. And the jury just crossed 12th hour mark in its deliberations of this potential evidence, the evidence that has been, raised here both in the courtroom, and evidence, and direct testimony, remember, the prosecution went on for a solid five days, cosbys team raised six minutes worth of testimony on their side saying , of course, they deserve the obligation to not put forward a case but right now question remains, what occurs the latest this evening or possibly tomorrow. These questions giving us an insight into how this jury is moving, through, this evidence coming up on Eyewitness News at 6 00 we will get revelations one on one with bill cosbys counts, i will see you flack for that part of the story. We have you covered with a team here, monitoring things inside of the Montgomery County courthouse. Were live, from norristown im joe holden for cbs3 Eyewitness News. Thanks very much. We will check back with you in a bit. It was a chaotic scene in center city this morning. Minivan jumped a curve and hit two pedestrians a news stan worker inside that news stand and then finally hit a bank. The crash happened on the corner of 16th and jfk at suburban station, Police Say Two vehicles heading westbound on jfk collided at intersection, cause ago this minivan to leave the road, two of the victims were being treated at Hahnemann Hospital they are in stable condition tonight, and the worker in the news stand suffered cuts and bruces. It is a miracle other people werent hurt to see how much damage got down to the bank. Nobody happened to be in the Conference Room at the time, whether it got blown out, and so i mean there are people hurt so i dont want to say were lucky but we were luck there i wasnt more casualty. Reporter Officials Say there was no structural damage to suburban station. Well, we are certainly in the middle of a heat wave, temperatures rose to record levels today and when it is this hot people look for anyway they can to cool off. Eyewitness news at logan square as kid splashed around the fountain there trying to beat the heat, meteorologist lauren casey is on the sky deck braving the brutal temperatures, so lauren, what is latest. Reporter it is really, really, hot, yes, temperatures , soaring, today, up in the 90s, day number three, so it is officially a heat wave and today, the hottest day, of the three, we soared to 96 degrees, in philadelphia, so far today breaking the previous record of 95 setback in the 1950s. A record today in allentown, in the middle 90s. Scorching down the shore, High Temperature of 95 in ac, 91 in wildwood, temperatures right now still very hot, sitting close to our record, High Temperatures, right now, 95 in allentown. Still in the mid 90s in ac. Ninetyfive in philadelphia we do have a bit of the feels like temperature going when you factor in that steam factor feeling like 100 degrees, ouch, right now, in dover, delaware. So definitely take it easy throughout the evening hours, heat advisory remains in effect for philadelphia and surrounding counties, until the 7 00 oclock hour but good news is that this heat, it is going to break. But storm scan three is showing us why conditions across the Delaware Valley right now, but storms kind of surrounding us and we will see a cold front, dropping in as we head into the night tonight and it will bring us a few hit or miss showers and thunderstorms to cool us off and we will welcome that rain, cooled air, otherwise, evening temperatures in the upper 80s to near 90 degrees, mostly clear. As we head in the overnight we will see a chance of the hit or miss thunderstorm, best chance will be north of the city, temperatures, still very warm, overnight tonight, 74 degrees, but you might want to head out as you head in the evening hours, keeping it mostly clear skies conditions, perfect viewing for a rocket launch that will be taking place. It has been scrubbed several times over the last several evenings but we will try again tonight. Nasa launching this rocket which could crease an aurora like scene in our skies across the Delaware Valley, the orange shaded area that is a visibility zone so were all in it. It could create colorful cloud , because of vapor released by this rock tote help them study, wind patterns in the atmosphere. Very cool look, few minutes after lift off, lift off set for 9 09 to 9 19 this evening. Otherwise good news in the forecast for tomorrow, temperatures not nearly as hot , ranging in the 70s and 80s and we will talk about the humidity dropping off as well. That is coming up in your full forecast later in the show. Thanks, lauren, i feel like i just went through a science lesson, appreciate that. Students received an early dismissal to beat the heat.