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Did Sessions Commit Perjury?[W:74]

Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

  • Yes

    Votes: 34 64.2%

  • No

    Votes: 19 35.8%
  • Total voters
    53
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

MaggieD said:
Before anyone can answer that, we need more information...

1) Was he under oath?
2) What exactly was the relevant question(s)
3) What exactly was his answer?

The White House has stipulated Sessions met the Russian Ambassador once in his office in conjunction with his responsibilities as a member of the Armed Services Committee and once by accident at an event.

Edit . . . And, by the way, perjury must also prove intent to lie.
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Yes, he was under oath.

IMG_0661.JPG

And here is the testimony in question.



Showing intent, however, is tough and is why perjury is usually a tough charge to prove.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Master PO said:
depends, some people have called for it however it does not always merit it.
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Look at it this way ... what if it was Hillary and Barack?
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Another hit piece by liberals who haven't got over the fact that Hillary lost.

Mean while an important inquiry required....does Nancy Pelosi still use botox?
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

cuban smokes said:
Poll Question = Did Sessions Commit Perjury? a simple Yes, or No will be appropriate ........... thank you
Click to expand...

The answer isn't that simple because it depends on what question was asked and answered.

Sen. Patrick Leahy asked:

Have you been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day?
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Furthermore, Sen. Dick Durbin asked:

Will you...recuse yourself from any investigation into whether Pres.-elect Trump or any [member] of his family, campaign staff [towhich Session was a part of], business associates or advisors [of which Sessions was] had any communication with Russian officials or operatives during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, or had any connection to, knowledge of, or involvement in Russian efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election?
Click to expand...

Since both questions focused on the "2016 campaign/election", Atty Gen. Session's denial that "he had no communications with Russian officials" would have been accurate provided none of his discussions with Russian Ambassador Kislyak involved talks concerning the 2016 campaign/election. However, it is possible that he was not aware of anyone within Pres. Trump's inner-circle having contact with Russian officials. Odds are very low against him being that oblivious especially given his position on Trump's campaign as a national security/foreign policy advisor and that Paul Manafort didn't resign as Trump's campaign chairman until August 2016 - 3 months after Sessions officially became part of Team Trump. But it is possible.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

MaggieD said:
Before anyone can answer that, we need more information...

1) Was he under oath?
2) What exactly was the relevant question(s)
3) What exactly was his answer?

The White House has stipulated Sessions met the Russian Ambassador once in his office in conjunction with his responsibilities as a member of the Armed Services Committee and once by accident at an event.

Edit . . . And, by the way, perjury must also prove intent to lie.
Click to expand...

The event in question was a speech Sen. Sessions gave at a the Heritage Foundation last summer. You have to ask yourself, "How many foreign government officials attend speeches given at partisan think-tanks?" and "Why was Jeff Sessions the only member of the Senate Intel Committee to meet with any Russian officials in all of 2016?"
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Objective Voice said:
The answer isn't that simple because it depends on what question was asked and answered.

Sen. Patrick Leahy asked:



Furthermore, Sen. Dick Durbin asked:



Since both questions focused on the "2016 campaign/election", Atty Gen. Session's denial that "he had no communications with Russian officials" would have been accurate provided none of his discussions with Russian Ambassador Kislyak involved talks concerning the 2016 campaign/election. However, it is possible that he was not aware of anyone within Pres. Trump's inner-circle having contact with Russian officials. Odds are very low against him being that oblivious especially given his position on Trump's campaign as a national security/foreign policy advisor and that Paul Manafort didn't resign as Trump's campaign chairman until August 2016 - 3 months after Sessions officially became part of Team Trump. But it is possible.
Click to expand...


"it depends on what the meaning of the word is, is" ............. OK, I C where you went wit dat ................
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Objective Voice said:
The event in question was a speech Sen. Sessions gave at a the Heritage Foundation last summer. You have to ask yourself, "How many foreign government officials attend speeches given at partisan think-tanks?" and "Why was Jeff Sessions the only member of the Senate Intel Committee to meet with any Russian officials in all of 2016?"
Click to expand...

1st meeting - During the election, Sessions first spoke with Kislyak in July at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, during a luncheon sponsored by the State Department and Heritage Foundation. An estimated 50 ambassadors attended the event.

Sessions not only delivered an address at the Heritage-sponsored event, but he was also introduced as "a senior national security adviser to Trump," Politico reported, citing a senior campaign adviser.

At the conclusion of Sessions' speech, he was approached by a gaggle of ambassadors, including Kislyak. The two spoke only briefly.


2nd -Their second meeting reportedly took place in the senator's office in September, according to the Washington Post.

If that's confirmed as true, it would mean their second interaction took place amid reports Russian hackers had broken into the personal email accounts of Democratic National Committee staffers and into the account of Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta.

This brings us to Sessions' testimony before the U.S. Senate, and accusations he lied under oath.

In one exchange in January, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., asked Sessions the following question:

CNN just published a story alleging that the intelligence community provided documents to the president-elect last week, that included information that "Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump." These documents also allegedly say "there was a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government." … if it's true, it's obviously extremely serious, and if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?

Sessions responded thusly, "Senator Franken, I'm not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., also submitted the following question in writing, "Several of the President-elect's nominees or senior advisers have Russian ties. Have you been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day?"

Sessions replied with a simple: "No."

Though several Democratic lawmakers and journalists say Sessions' responses prove he clearly perjured himself, it's important to note the questions he answered were framed in terms of whether members of the Trump campaign communicated with the Russians.

Be honest: You'd never accept Sessions' defense if it came from Eric Holder | Washington Examiner
 
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Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

cuban smokes said:
Poll Question = Did Sessions Commit Perjury? a simple Yes, or No will be appropriate ........... thank you
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that AG Sessions answered this question for himself:

"In sum, it is crucial to our system of justice that we demand the
truth. I fear that an acquittal of this President will weaken the
legal system by suggesting that being less than truthful is an option
for those who testify under oath in official proceedings. "

-Senator Jeff Sessions 1999

If we were to abide by his on written standards, he committed perjury.

I think that is a good standard for this situation, considering that he endorsed it.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

cuban smokes said:
Alabama Senator Sessions testified before his colleges in the US Senate during his confirmation hearing for the cabinet position of Attorney General of the US

IMO during that testimony Sessions committed perjury by stating he had no contacts with Russian officials, which we all know now to be a false statement

Poll Question = Did Sessions Commit Perjury? a simple Yes, or No will be appropriate ........... thank you
Click to expand...

The poll can not honestly be answered one way or the other. So I can not vote.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

cuban smokes said:
"it depends on what the meaning of the word is, is" ............. OK, I C where you went wit dat ................
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Don't get me wrong; I'm no fan of Jeff Sessions nor of Pres. Trump. BUT...

If you really consider the questions asked, you'll have to conclude he didn't provide a false answer. Now, that being said I really don't think anyone with half a brain can honestly believe Atty Gen. Sessions can be impartial in such an investigation concerning Trump's involvement/relationship with Russia or anyone else involved with his family or his campaign. Hell, if asked the right questions I don't think Sessions could deny he's had contact with members of the Russian government during the 2016 campaign. I really depends on what questions are asked and from the sound of it neither Senators Leahy nor Durbin asked the right question. Sen. Al Franken, however, came closest to getting to the heart of the matter when he asked him what would he do "if it came out that anyone associated with the Trump campaign had contact with the Russians in the course of the 2016 campaign." This is where Atty Gen. Sessions now finds himself in hot water because he was part of Trump's campaign as the chairman of his national security advisory committee and his foreign policy advisory committee.

Now, whether Sessions spoke with Kislyak in his official capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee OR his meeting with Kislyak at the Heritage Foundation after he gave his speech was a coincidence is debatable. But there's no denying Sessions meet with Kislyak on at least one occasion.
 
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Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Master PO said:
1st meeting - During the election, Sessions first spoke with Kislyak in July at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, during a luncheon sponsored by the State Department and Heritage Foundation. An estimated 50 ambassadors attended the event.

Sessions not only delivered an address at the Heritage-sponsored event, but he was also introduced as "a senior national security adviser to Trump," Politico reported, citing a senior campaign adviser.

At the conclusion of Sessions' speech, he was approached by a gaggle of ambassadors, including Kislyak. The two spoke only briefly.


2nd -Their second meeting reportedly took place in the senator's office in September, according to the Washington Post.

If that's confirmed as true, it would mean their second interaction took place amid reports Russian hackers had broken into the personal email accounts of Democratic National Committee staffers and into the account of Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta.
Click to expand...

If if turns out to be true - that Sen. Sessions was introduced to Kislyak as his Sr. National Security Advisor and he met with the Ambassador in his office in September 2016 - then he's in trouble.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Simon W. Moon said:
He was asked what he would do if it came to light that members of the Trump team had met with Russians.

He decided to volunteer that he himself had not met with Russians.
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A point that needs to be made abundantly clear. Atty Gen. Sessions didn't answer the question directly, but he provided enough of a vailed response so as to give him cover since the question centered around Russian contacts from Team Trump during the 2016 campaign.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

MaggieD said:
Before anyone can answer that, we need more information...

1) Was he under oath?
Click to expand...
Yes.


2) What exactly was the relevant question(s)
3) What exactly was his answer?
Click to expand...

FRANKEN: CNN just published a story alleging that the intelligence community provided documents to the president-elect last week, that included information that “Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump.” These documents also allegedly say “there was a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government.” Again, I’m telling you this as it’s coming out, so, you know.

But if it’s true, it’s obviously extremely serious, and if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?

SESSIONS: Senator Franken, I’m not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians, and I’m unable to comment on it.

FRANKEN: Very well.


Perjury must also prove intent to lie.
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Presumably, he knew whether or not he met any Russian government officials or operatives. He said he didn't. That's sufficient.

It is highly unlikely he will be prosecuted -- lying to Congress is rarely punished. But it does appear that he lied to Congress, under oath, during his confirmation.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Sessions was asked,

SEN. AL FRANKEN: "If there was any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this (2016) campaign, what would you do?," the Minnesota Democrat asked.
Click to expand...

Sessions answered by saying,


SESSIONS: "I'm not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."
Click to expand...

Then, Sessions was asked,

SEN. PATRICK J. LEAHY: Several of the President-elect's nominees or senior advisers have Russian ties. Have you been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day?" the Vermont Democrat asked in a questionnaire.
Click to expand...

To which Sessions replied,


SESSIONS: No.
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In the context of the questions, Session didn't lie.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Cigar said:
:2razz: that is sooo wrong :mrgreen:
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Y'all were looking for alternative theories as to why he was raising his right hand,:lamo
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

year2late said:
Y'all were looking for alternative theories as to why he was raising his right hand,:lamo
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Y'all are looking for alternative realities, where actually said something other than what he said.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

"I did not have communications with the Russians."

Case closed. Perjury.
 
Re: Did Sessions Commit Perjury?

Chips said:
I'm pretty sure that AG Sessions answered this question for himself:

"In sum, it is crucial to our system of justice that we demand the
truth. I fear that an acquittal of this President will weaken the
legal system by suggesting that being less than truthful is an option
for those who testify under oath in official proceedings. "

-Senator Jeff Sessions 1999

If we were to abide by his on written standards, he committed perjury.

I think that is a good standard for this situation, considering that he endorsed it.
Click to expand...

oops....
 
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