Report: U.S. Lobbyist For Russia Says He Attended Two Events Hosted By Sessions During The Campaign
- 7 years ago
A former U.S. diplomat-turned lobbyist has cast some doubt about whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions was completely truthful during his testimony to Senate lawmakers on Tuesday.
A former U.S. diplomat-turned lobbyist has cast some doubt about whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions was completely truthful during his testimony to Senate lawmakers on Tuesday.
Richard Burt, a D.C.-area representative for Russian affairs, reportedly told The Guardian that he had, in fact, contacts with Sessions during the presidential campaign.
Burt is quoted as saying, “I did attend two dinners with groups of former Republican foreign policy officials and Senator Sessions.”
During the recent Senate hearing, Senator John McCain asked Sessions directly, “During the 2016 campaign season, [did] you have any contacts with any representative including any American lobbyist or agent of any Russian company within or outside your capacity as a member of Congress or a member of the Armed Services committee?”
Sessions responded by saying, “I don’t believe so.”
However, The Guardian report adds that when “asked whether Sessions was unfamiliar with Burt’s role as a lobbyist for Russian interests – a fact that is disclosed in public records – or had any reason to be confused about the issue, Burt told the Guardian that he did not know.”
According to a Politico report from last year, Burt had been paid $365,000 in the first half of 2016 for lobbying in support of a natural-gas pipeline linked with the Russian government.
The former U.S. ambassador to Germany also reportedly worked on behalf of a large Russian financial firm called Alfa Bank.
A former U.S. diplomat-turned lobbyist has cast some doubt about whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions was completely truthful during his testimony to Senate lawmakers on Tuesday.
Richard Burt, a D.C.-area representative for Russian affairs, reportedly told The Guardian that he had, in fact, contacts with Sessions during the presidential campaign.
Burt is quoted as saying, “I did attend two dinners with groups of former Republican foreign policy officials and Senator Sessions.”
During the recent Senate hearing, Senator John McCain asked Sessions directly, “During the 2016 campaign season, [did] you have any contacts with any representative including any American lobbyist or agent of any Russian company within or outside your capacity as a member of Congress or a member of the Armed Services committee?”
Sessions responded by saying, “I don’t believe so.”
However, The Guardian report adds that when “asked whether Sessions was unfamiliar with Burt’s role as a lobbyist for Russian interests – a fact that is disclosed in public records – or had any reason to be confused about the issue, Burt told the Guardian that he did not know.”
According to a Politico report from last year, Burt had been paid $365,000 in the first half of 2016 for lobbying in support of a natural-gas pipeline linked with the Russian government.
The former U.S. ambassador to Germany also reportedly worked on behalf of a large Russian financial firm called Alfa Bank.