Public hearing on Russian interference in US election

The House Intelligence Committee will hold its first public hearing in the probe into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, committee chairman Devin Nunes has said.

The Republican congressman from California told reporters on Tuesday that the hearing will be held on March 20, adding that it is his intention to hold more public hearings on the matter, given the interest it has aroused and with the aim of being transparent, Efe news reported.

Called before the hearings as witnesses are Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers, former CIA Director John Brennan and former National Intelligence Director James Clapper.

The US intelligence community concluded that the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin had undertaken measures to influence the November 8, 2016 presidential election to favour current President Donald Trump and harm the election chances of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, Trump has denied any connections with the Kremlin and has called the accusations about his contacts with the Russians a "witch hunt".

Tensions in the matter heightened after last week The Washington Post revealed that Attorney General Jeff Sessions held meetings with the Russian Ambassador to Washington that he later hid from the Senate during his confirmation hearings.

When those meetings became known, Sessions recused himself from the investigation into the Russian links with the Trump campaign, but he reiterated that his meetings with the diplomat were in keeping with his duties as senator, the position he held at the time, and not in connection with his advisory role to Trump's campaign.

Meanwhile, Democrats called specifically for Sessions' resignation and continue to insist on the need to open a special and independent investigation into the issue of Russian election interference.

--IANS

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