The eyes of Washington turn again to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, where embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions faces questions over his Russia contacts and role in the firing of FBI director James Comey.

It will be the first sworn public testimony from Sessions, a longtime former senator, since he was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed as the nation’s top law enforcement officer in February.

It comes as political intrigue pulses through the US capital following explosive testimony by Comey before the same panel last week, and as Trump has expressed frustrations with Sessions, one of his earliest high-profile campaign backers.

In his riveting appearance Thursday, Comey said the Federal Bureau of Investigation was aware of information that would have made it “problematic” for Sessions to be involved in investigations into alleged Russian meddling in last year’s election.

Comey said he could address the details only in a classified setting — heightening the suspense about what might be asked and answered on Tuesday.

The president sacked Comey in early May. Given that as FBI director Comey was overseeing the probe into Russia and its alleged collusion with the Trump team, the firing has led to questions about potential obstruction of justice.

But Sessions, who recommended in a signed memo that Comey be fired, may end up claiming executive privilege as a means of limiting the breadth of his testimony.

Whether executive privilege is invoked “depends on the scope of the questions,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters Monday.

“To get to a hypothetical at this point would be premature,” he added.

Source: AFP