We'll have more on the ramifications of Sessions' testimony in the coming days. Thanks for joining us!

It’s very confusing how Sessions can simultaneously claim that he cannot reveal private conversations with the president more-or-less because of executive privilege while affirming that Trump has not exercised this privilege yet. It seems, perhaps, to be a convenient way to not have to underscore the embarrassing aspects of Trump’s amateurish approach to managing the White House. 

Senator Manchin picks off a number of Trump officials and asks Sessions whether or not he has any information pertaining to whether or not the individuals in question had meetings with Russian officials during the campaign.

Paul Manafort

Steve Bannon

Michael Flynn

Reince Priebus

Stephen Miller

Corey Lewandowski

Carter Page

Sessions more or less says he doesn't have information that any of these individuals met with Russians, save Page, based on news reports. 

Republican Senator Lankford of Oklahoma calls it a “rumor” that Trump was considering dismissing Special Counsel Mueller, pointing out that it would be under the authority of DOJ officials to do so. For the record, this wasn’t another rumor circulated by  - as Lankford would probably put it - nefarious anti-Trump forces, but none other than Newsmax CEO and Trump confidante Christopher Ruddy.

Senator Heinrich uses his five minutes to point out the legal flaws surrounding Sessions’ persistence in refusing to answer any questions that would draw upon specific questions with the president. 

These are strong words. He proceeds to remark that his silence - along with he silence of other intelligence leaders who refused to answer questions pertaining to Trump conversations - speak volumes. 

Oregon Democratic Senator Wyden lays into Sessions: what are the "problematic" concerns that led the FBI to conclude that Sessions would recuse himself? He also accuses Sessions and others of stonewalling.

Sessions resents the accusations of stonewalling, and regarding of the concerns the FBI purportedly raised:

“Why don’t you tell me! There are none, senator Wyden. There are none. I can tell you this is a secret innuendo being leaked about me and I don’t appreciate it.”

Rubio drives right at the meeting after which Trump retained Comey and purportedly request that he drop the investigation into Michael Flynn.

Asked whether or not Trump asked Comey to stay, Sessions explains:

“That is a communication in the White House that I will not comment on.”

He then claims that his account has been more accurate then Comey's, though in reality he has only been leaving out key details because he refuses to remark on interactions between Trump Administration officials. 

Worth noting: in his opening remarks, Sessions clearly jettisoned the idea he had a third meeting. Within an early line of questioning in today's hearing, Sessions says, essentially well, maybe it happened, but if I did it didn't matter.

FLAG: Sessions, seemingly to contradict earlier testimony, now it's "conceivable" that he had a conversation with Kislayk at the Mayflower. pic.twitter.com/ngga9GzohY

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 13, 2017

With regards to the meeting after which Trump expelled others present, asking Comey to stay behind, Sessions more or less confirms the events while leaving out some of Comey’s key characterizations. He didn’t really remark on Comey’s claim that Sessions “lingered” by the door, implying a discomfort with Trump’s approach to communications with the then FBI Director. He also left out details relating to whether or not Trump asked people to leave while retaining Comey. 

In explaining his choice to recuse himself, Sessions points out a rule that stipulates that one can't oversee an investigation into a political campaign for which the individual in question served as a primary advisor. 

That's quite a sound rule.

“The suggestion that I participated in any collusion…is an appalling and detestable lie.” Sessions is heated, and now he lays into Al Franken for his "rambling" question during his confirmation hearing. 

Warner highlights the incongruities between Comey’s testimony and the Trump Administration’s official stance on the dismissal of the former FBI director. 

Sessions remains stone-faced. Warner underscoring the fact that Comey was under oath sets the stage to address the Trump camp’s claims that Comey lied regarding his meetings with Trump and his aids. 

Warner also highlights that - to date - Trump has not publicly addressed the fact that Russia interfered in the US electoral process. 

Warner says that the committee expected Sessions to be interviewed later in the process, but that the group was happy to accommodate Sessions’ request to come before the committee earlier. 

As the Democratic Vice-Chair, Warner is hitting a little harder in his opening remarks, pointing out Sessions’ deceit regarding his undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador during his confirmation hearing. 

And we're call to order. Chairman Burr is kicking off the introductory notes.

One particular area of interest in today's testimony will be whether or not Sessions contradicts Comey's depiction of a meeting with Trump in which he kicked Sessions, Kusnher, and other aids out before - in private - requesting that Comey drop the investigation into Michael Flynn. This characterization provides ample evidence for obstruction of justice. The fact that others were removed from the room implies that Trump understood he was doing something that shouldn't get out. 

How will sessions explain these events?

According to Senator Al Franken, the FBI intercepted communications between Attorney General Kislyak. This - if true - is damning: Sessions already mischaracterized the degree of his communications with Russian officials during the presidential campaign by neglected to mention two meeting with Kislyak in both his confirmation hearing and on his security clearance forms. A third meeting left off the record looks very bad, and could result in perjury charges.

At least one politician on Capitol Hill has had it with Sessions' obfuscation of truth. Senator Warren has called on Sessions to be fired

BREAKING: Sen. Warren (MA), a leading Democrat in the Senate, calls for AG Jeff Sessions to be FIRED just hours before his Senate testimony.

— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) June 13, 2017

In an interview with David Axelrod on his podcast, Warren remarked: “He needs to be fired. He needs to be taken out of that job. If you’re not going to be honest during your confirmation hearing, then you ought to be gone.”

Welcome to our rolling coverage on today's testimony before the Senate Intel Committee. Today's testimony of Attorney General Jeff Sessions comes on the heels of last week's explosive hearing featuring James Comey, the deposed FBI director fired because - as Trump himself admitted - the ongoing investigation into the Trump Administration's ties with the Russian government. 

Sessions has found himself drawn into the Russia mess, as Comey revealed last week that the FBI expected the Attorney General to recuse himself based on secret intel. There is some speculation that this information details a third meeting between Sessions and the Russian Ambassador to the United States. Sessions - who claimed to have not met with any Russian officials throughout the presidential campaign - could find himself facing perjury charges. One meeting, perhaps, can be forgotten. Two is suspicious. Three? It definitely seems like you're hiding something.

Whether or not we learn anything new today remains to be seen. Expect lots of executive privilege getting tossed around in order to safeguard conversations with Trump!