Senate judiciary chairman won't have Sessions clarify Russia statements

— -- Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, rejected a plea from Democrats to haul Attorney General Jeff Sessions before the committee again -- which held his confirmation hearing -- after it was revealed that he had contacts with a Russian official during the 2016 campaign.

Grassley announced late Friday that there are no plans to ask Sessions, who has come under fire from Democrats demanding his resignation, to testify at the committee "until an annual oversight hearing, as is customary."

“Attorney General Sessions did the right thing by recusing himself, and he did exactly what he said he’d do regarding potential recusals when he was before our committee," Grassley wrote. "It’s unfortunate that the Democrats didn’t even have the decency to give him an opportunity to clear up confusion to the statement in writing.”

On Thursday, Sessions recused himself from any current or future investigations involving campaigns for president, but maintained he answered questions at his confirmation "honest and correct as I understood at the time."

During his confirmation hearing, Sessions, a close adviser on Trump's campaign, was asked by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., what he would do if there "is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign."

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

Sessions maintained that his two interactions with the Russian ambassador in 2016 were in his capacity as a member of the Armed Services Committee and "I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign."

Senate Judiciary Democrats called Sessions' recusal announcement Thursday "a welcome first step," but added the nation's top law enforcement officer "leaves many significant questions unanswered."

"The Attorney General’s responses to our questions during his confirmation process were, at best, incomplete and misleading," the senators wrote. "Unfortunately, he has not explained why he failed to come forward and correct the record before reports of his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak became public, why there was a delay in recusing himself until those public disclosures, and why he only recused himself with respect to campaign-related investigations and not Russian contacts with the Trump transition team and administration. Given the seriousness of this matter, we do not believe that a written submission to correct the record is sufficient."

Wanting to know the details of the Sessions saga, Democrats have also asked the Department of Justice inspector general to review Sessions' recusal.

“As part of this investigation, we ask that you consider whether and when the Attorney General consulted with ethics officials or others regarding his involvement in these investigations, his contacts with Russian officials, and his testimony before our Committee during the confirmation process," Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein, Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, and Mazie Hirono, wrote.

"We also ask that you examine communications between Attorney General Sessions and the White House regarding recusal or the pending investigations, and the extent to which the Attorney General was involved in these investigations prior to his recusal. Please recommend appropriate action to address any problems that you discover.”

In a statement, DOJ spokesman Peter Carr said Sessions will "respond to their questions along with his amended testimony on Monday.”