Cornyn Focuses on Comey, Clinton Emails in Sessions' Senate Hearing on Russia

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions was the sole witness in Tuesday’s Senate intelligence hearing on Russian election meddling, heatedly denying that he had any improper conversations with Kremlin officials while serving as President Donald Trump's campaign adviser. But for Texas Sen. John Cornyn, it was former FBI director James Comey still in the hot seat. Cornyn, who was briefly considered to replace Comey at the FBI, sought to discredit Comey’s testimony last week that Trump fired him over the Russia probe. Instead, Comey was ousted for mishandling the Hillary Clinton email scandal, Cornyn argued. He pointed to a May memo by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that stated Comey repeatedly usurped the Department of Justice’s authority during the Clinton investigation, among other missteps.In an explosive Senate intelligence hearing last week, Comey testified that — based on Trump’s statements — he believes he was fired because of the investigation into Russian election meddling and potential collusion with the Trump campaign. In May, Trump told NBC News that he was contemplating "this Russia thing" ahead of Comey’s firing.“I take the president at his word — that I was fired because of the Russia investigation,” Comey said. “Something about the way I was conducting it, the president felt, created pressure on him that he wanted to relieve.”  Continue reading...