Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not disclose meetings he had last year with Russian officials when he applied for his security clearance, the Justice Department told CNN Wednesday. Justice countered that was because the FBI told him not to.
"Sessions, who met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at least two times last year, didn't note those interactions on the form, which requires him to list 'any contact' he or his family had with a 'foreign government' or its 'representatives' over the past seven years, officials said," the cable news network reported.
It was just the latest in a string of stories about the Trump Administration and Russian contacts.
CNN called it the latest example of Sessions not disclosing contacts.
In a statement simply headlined "Statement on CNN Story," deputy director of public affairs Ian Prior suggested it was a nonstory: “As a United States Senator, the Attorney General met hundreds—if not thousands—of foreign dignitaries and their staff," he said. "In filling out the SF-86 form, the Attorney General’s staff consulted with those familiar with the process, as well as the FBI investigator handling the background check, and was instructed not to list meetings with foreign dignitaries and their staff connected with his Senate activities.”
CNN pointed out that Sessions was criticized for not revealing similar meetings related to his Senate service at his confirmation hearing—conducted by his former fellow senators on the Judiciary Committee.
