Jeff Sessions says he now recalls Trump campaign meeting where Russia discussed

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions now says he recalls a meeting with then candidate Donald Trump and aides where campaign connections to Russia were discussed, after earlier testifying he was unaware of any such contacts.

Sessions, addressing the House judiciary committee on Tuesday, said herecalled the March 2016 meeting where foreign policy adviserGeorge Papadopoulos was present,"But I have no clearrecollection of the details of what he said during thatmeeting."

Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about hiscontacts with Russia, told the Trump campaign meeting that hehad connections with Moscow and could help arrange a meetingbetween Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according tocourt documents.

Sessions had said during his January Senate confirmationhearing that he was unaware of communications between thecampaign and Russia.

In another Senate hearing last month, Sessions testified hehad no improper involvement with Russians and was not aware ofanyone else from the campaign who did.

Accusations of collusion with Russia during the electioncampaign have dogged Trump's first 10 months as president, settingoff an investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller andseveral congressional probes.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscowmeddled in the 2016 election to help Republican Trump's campaign.

The Kremlin denies that,and Trump says there was nocollusion between his campaign and Russian officials.

Tough questioning

Sessions, who faced tough questioning from committeeDemocrats on Tuesday, vigorously denied lying to Congress aboutcontacts with Russia.

"I will not accept, and reject accusations that I have everlied under oath. That is a lie," he said.

During the March 2016 meeting, Sessions shut downPapadopoulos's idea of engaging with Russian contacts, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Sessions said he now recalled that exchange withPapadopoulos.

"After reading his account, and to the best of myrecollection, I believe that I wanted to make clear to him thathe was not authorized to represent the campaign with the Russiangovernment, or any other foreign government, for that matter,"Sessions said on Tuesday.

After the meeting, Sessions said, he did not have "anyfurther knowledge" of additional contacts between the campaignand Russian officials.

Sessions also said he did not challenge a statement byanother campaign foreign policy adviser, Carter Page, that he told Sessions in a brief encounter that he was about to leave for Moscow. But he said he had no memory of that conversation.

The attorney general confirmed that he has asked seniorfederal prosecutors to look into a host of issues involving former secretary of state and Trump's election rival, DemocratHillary Clinton, including the sale of a uranium company toRussia.

I will not accept, and reject accusations that I have ever lied under oath. That is a lie.- Jeff Sessions, U.S. attorney general

Trump and congressional Republicans have been demanding theappointment of another special counsel to look into that issue.Democrats say five congressional committees have looked into theissue and found nothing improper.

"I have directed senior federal prosecutors to makerecommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened, whether any matters currentlyunder investigation require further resources, or whether anymatters merit the appointment of a special counsel," Sessionssaid.

In a testy exchange with Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, who wants an investigation, Sessions said there had to be a "factual basis" in order to proceed with a Clinton-related probe.

Trump recently said he wished he would have more influence over the Department of Justice and the FBI, but Sessions said he will proceed according to the law.

"I have not been improperly influenced and would not be improperly influenced," he said.