Poll: More than half say Sessions should resign

More than half of voters in a new poll say Attorney General Jeff Sessions should resign for not disclosing his past talks with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. during his confirmation hearing.

Fifty-one percent in the Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday think Sessions should step down, while  42 percent believe Sessions should remain the nation’s top law enforcement official.

{mosads}Pollsters also found more than half of those surveyed believe Sessions lied about speaking with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at his January hearing.

Fifty-two percent think Sessions lied under oath earlier this year, while 40 percent think he made an unclear statement instead.  

Respondents were largely negative toward Sessions, with 43 percent viewing him unfavorably.

Twenty-three percent see Sessions favorably, while 33 percent said they lack enough information for an opinion.

“The gavel comes down hard on Attorney General Jeff Sessions,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll.

“He lied and he should quit because of it, say Americans, who are clearly very concerned about the Russian affair and all the administration personnel involved in it.”

Sessions on Monday defended his appearance before a Senate panel.

“My answer was correct,” he wrote in a letter to the Judiciary Committee. “I did not mention communications I had had with the Russian ambassador over the years because the question did not ask about them.” 

Reports emerged last week that Sessions spoke with Kislyak in 2016 while the former GOP senator from Alabama was serving as a top surrogate for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Sessions ultimately recused himself from any federal investigation into Russian interference in last year’s presidential race following backlash over the revelations.

Reports emerged earlier this year that top aides and allies to Trump’s 2016 campaign were in constant contact with senior Russian intelligence officials before Election Day.