Attorney General Jeff Sessions met Russia’s ambassador twice during Donald Trump’s presidential campaign last year, the US government has confirmed.
Mr Sessions, a senator at the time, did not disclose the contacts at his January confirmation hearing.But he stressed on Wednesday he had “never met any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign”.
Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi accused Mr Sessions of “lying under oath” and demanded he resign.
Other Democrats called on him to step aside from an investigation by the FBI – which he oversees as attorney general – into the alleged Russian interference.
The news broke just after a congressional committee agreed an investigation into Russia’s alleged interference in the election.
The House intelligence panel inquiry will scrutinise contacts between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Moscow, members confirmed.
The White House denies any improper behaviour during the election campaign and did not comment immediately on the latest development.
Russia has consistently rejected allegations of interference.
The justice department confirmed that Mr Sessions had met Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
There was an office visit during the autumn and a meeting along with other ambassadors in the summer.
He had meetings with more than 25 foreign ambassadors in the course of the year.
During his confirmation hearing, Mr Sessions was asked what he would do if there was evidence that anyone from the Trump campaign had been in touch with Russia.
Mr Sessions replied that he was “unaware of those activities”. – BBC
