Sessions to Wyden in Heated Exchange: ‘I Am Not Stonewalling!’

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confi
Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Tuesday at the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing featuring testimony from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) accused Sessions of “stonewalling” because of his refusal to answer questions about his discussions with President Donald Trump.

Wyden said Sessions was “stonewalling” several times in his first question.

Session answered, “Senator Wyden I am not stonewalling. I’m following the historic policies of the Department of Justice. You don’t walk into any hearing or committee meeting and reveal confidential communications with the President of the United States who is entitled to receive confidential communications and your best judgment about a host of issues, and to be accused of stonewalling for not answering them so I would push back on that.”

After a short back and forth, Sessions said, “This is a secret innuendo being leaked out there about me, and I don’t appreciate it! And I tried to give my best and truthful answers to any committee I’ve appeared before, and it’s really people sort of suggesting through innuendo that I have been not honest about matters, and I’ve tried to be honest.”

Wyden added Sessions answers didn’t pass “the smell test.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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