Sessions says he had concerns about Comey long before firing

Attorney General Jeff Sessions says he never had conversations with FBI Director James Comey about his job performance before Comey’s firing.

WATCH LIVE: Sessions testifies about Russia meetings in Senate hearing

Sessions recommended the firing last month, raising questions about whether he violated his recusal from the investigation into Trump campaign ties to Russia. But Sessions says he had concerns about Comey’s job performance even before he was confirmed. He says he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussed it and “we both agreed that a fresh start at the FBI was probably the best thing.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., says she is puzzled about why Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote a recommendation about firing former FBI Director James Comey, despite President Trump’s conflicting explanation of his decision to terminate Comey.

Sessions says he was involved in Comey’s firing because he oversees the FBI. Sessions added that, “to suggest that a recusal from a single specific investigation” would render him unable to manage the leadership of the FBI would be “absurd.”

Comey testified last week that he did not tell Sessions that Trump had asked him to drop a probe into National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s contacts with Russia because he suspected Sessions would soon need to recuse himself from the Russia probe.

But Sessions says Comey should have relayed his concerns to Dana Boente, who was then acting as deputy attorney general and Comey’s direct supervisor. He says Comey should have talked to Boente, especially if he had concerns about Sessions staying involved in the Russia investigation.

Read Jeff Sessions’ prepared Senate testimony on Russia

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