Posted on 03/02/2017 7:42:37 PM PST by MtnClimber
In the overwrought, partisan allegations that Attorney General Jeff Sessions committed perjury in his confirmation-hearing testimony, let’s cut to the chase: There is a good deal of political hay to be made because Sessions made a statement that was inaccurate — or at least incomplete — especially when mined out of its context....... Prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the speaker knowingly, voluntarily, and intentionally — not by accident, misunderstanding, or confusion — said something that was untrue, with a specific purpose to disobey or disregard the law. Therefore, when there is an allegation of perjury, the alleged false statements must be considered in context. Any ambiguity is construed in favor of innocence. If there is potential misunderstanding, the lack of clarity is deemed the fault of the questioner, not the accused.
We will turn momentarily to the transcript of the exchange between Sessions and Senator Al Franken (D., Minn.). First, let’s highlight the inaccuracy in the testimony. Sessions stated that he did not have “communications with the Russians.” It is now known that there were at least two occasions during the 2016 campaign on which Sessions, then a senator and a member of the chamber’s Armed Services Committee, had contact with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States. One of these occasions is easily dismissed: Apparently, Sessions saw Kislyak, in addition to dozens of other ambassadors, at a Heritage Foundation reception during the Republican convention. As Sessions was leaving the podium, a smaller group of these diplomats, including Kislyak, approached Sessions to chat briefly — mainly to compliment him on his remarks. Even the Washington Post doesn’t think much of this chance meeting (buried deep in its story) other than the fact that it happened.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
It was not “inaccurate” at all.
I heard the questioning and thought Sessions answered Al Franken’s question. This looks like a trap set up by democRATs.
McCarthy has gone off the deep end. I say this, sadly, as a former fan.
He needs to visit with Jay Sekulow...or Tom Fitton...either one will happily explain Sessions answers/non issue to Andy.
Nonsense
“the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
MccArthy usually gets it right, here he has got it wrong. Why now Andrew? Never mentioned the question by Al Franken he was answering to. Why? Correct me if I am wrong.
Agree this is nonsense.
It was very accurate. He answered the questions specifically asked.
If he’d volunteered he’d met the ambassador in other capacities it would have bogged down the confirmation.
It was tactically smart to have not volunteered info that was not asked for, given the Democrat’s goals of obstructing confirmation.
Sessions was not nominated by Trump when he was a Senator doing his job so he did not include this in his answer.
Get over it democrats. There was no “intent”. Remember that word that got hillary off the hook?
More junk news from this junk heap!
Not correct. His testimony was accurate and honestly stated.
If you are ever in a lawsuit where you are to be placed upon the stand, you will be instructed by your atty to answer the question ‘yes’ or ‘no’ whenever possible, to answer ONLY the question that is asked and to volunteer no additional information. This is 100% universal.
So if someone asks you “did you eat an apple last Thursday” your answer is “yes” or “no”. It is not “yes, I selected an apple from a bowl sitting on my kitchen counter, washed it off in the sink, and dabbed it with a towel. I bit into it and it was very satisfying. After I finished the apple, I took the core with the seeds, walked over to the wastebasket, opened the lid, and dropped the core into the garbage. I rinsed my hands in the sink and then I dried my hands on a towel. I then left the kitchen, walked to my office, and resumed my work.”
The difference? You should not supply any information that you imagine will be “helpful” or “descriptive”.
Sessions was asked “did you speak to the Russky whomever about the campaign” and the answer is, properly, “no”. He was NOT asked “did you have any contact whatsoever with the Russians before the election and if so, what did you discuss?” in which case the answer might have been “yes, I met on a few occasions with the Amb as part of my duties as Senator and we discussed blah blah and blah but I never discussed the election with him either as a Trump supporter or as a whisper candidate for AG.
Franken asked Sessions what he would do if there was communication between Trump and Russia that influenced the election. Sessions answered that he did not know this happened.
Sessions has recused himself from any Trump/Russia investigations so it should be case closed.
It is interesting that leftists that used to love Stalin and Hitler are accusing Trump of being just like them, and it seems clear it is a total lie.
They have to be petty.
There are no real concrete big problems with Trump.
So they resort to being petty.
It was not inaccurate, because he was being asked about meetings within the context of the Trump campaign and not in general. And both of the meetings he had were within his official capacity and were part of his job and had nothing to do with Trump or US politics.
That said, I’ve been very disappointed in Trump’s willingness to hand over sacrifices to the Dems. He should have defended Flynn, because the Dems found out with Flynn how easy it was to get Trump to abandon somebody who had done nothing wrong and now they’re doing the same with Sessions. Trump’s defense of him was rather lukewarm (saying “he could have been more accurate” is all over the headlines) and I think he’ll probably be forced to resign by tomorrow.
Trump doesn’t seem to realize that he’s not going to satisfy the Dems by giving them a few scalps, and also that easily giving scalps is probably going to make people uneasy about working for him. The Dems want to get rid of Trump, and he’s showing weakness that is emboldening them.
Sessions answered the question Al Franken asked honestly. If Franken wanted to know if he had ever talked with any Russian officials, he could have asked him that.
Sessions bowed to the Demonrats, and now they own him. He might as well resign now, for all the good he’ll be to Trump or the country. This man is not cut from the same cloth as Trump is. You never, never, NEVER capitulate to your enemies. Only two days after Trump OWNED the entire Congress, this cuck has to let the Demonrats into the house? Goodbye, Sessions. Hope Trump gets an AG that will FIGHT.
His testimony was inaccurate but not willfully false.(Sessions)
And the Cucks keep on clucking.
Who in their right mind would print a headline like that to DEFEND somebody.
Not inaccurate. If Attorney General Sessions feels the need to recuse himself, then he should have more time to prepare the cases against the Clintons. Then he can prepare the sedition case against Obama and Soros. Then he can go after the pizza ring.
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