Attorney General Jeff Sessions is currently caught in the middle of a big scandal after it emerged Wednesday night that he had met with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 election despite what he told the Senate.
During his confirmation hearing in January, Sessions told Sen. Al Franken that he "did not have communications with the Russians" during the election — but in fact he had done so, twice.
A spokeswoman for Sessions told BuzzFeed News that he met with the Russian ambassador in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee — not as a representative of the Trump campaign. Sessions did not mislead members of Congress, she said.
Still, a growing list of lawmakers are calling on Sessions to resign or recuse himself from investigations into Russian influence in the 2016 election — some Democrats say he should resign.
Among those calling for his resignation is Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat who served with Sessions on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
On Thursday morning, McCaskill tweeted that she'd never "ever" met with or received a call from the Russian ambassador.
I've been on the Armed Services Com for 10 years.No call or meeting w/Russian ambassador. Ever. Ambassadors call members of Foreign Rel Com.
But savvy Twitter users were quick to point out that she had, in fact, tweeted about speaking with the Russian ambassador on two separate occasions.
Claire McCaskill says she’s had “no call or meeting w/Russian ambassador. Ever.” But she tweeted about two. It’s ea… https://t.co/O467UCvoYh
Here are those tweets:
Off to meeting w/Russian Ambassador. Upset about the arbitrary/cruel decision to end all US adoptions,even those in process.
Today calls with British, Russian, and German Ambassadors re: Iran deal. #doingmyhomework
Accused of lying, McCaskill tried to clarify Thursday's tweet with some follow-up posts.
Again, As senior member of Armed Serv, never received call or request from Russian Amb for meeting. Never met one on one w/him.
4 years ago went to meeting of many Senators about international adoptions. Russian Amb also attended.
Speaking to a CNN reporter, McCaskill blamed Twitter's 140 character limit for not letting her be more precise.
McCaskill blamed Twitter limit on her tweet. "140 characters are tough. The word 'from' should have been in there but I didn't have room."
https://www.buzzfeed.com/tamerragriffin/sessions-white-house-fight-back?utm_term=.rigVZLLxG#.jmn5RvvlD
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