Wyden calls for Sessions to testify in open hearing

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Sunday urged leadership of the Senate Intelligence Committee to hold a public hearing with Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

In a letter to Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.), Wyden — also a member of the panel — called for an open hearing.

“I urge that the Committee hold a hearing with the Attorney General in the open so that the American people can hear for themselves what he has to say with regard to connections to the Russians and the President’s abuse of power,” Wyden wrote.

{mosads}Wyden referenced former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony last week, saying it allowed Comey to provide the public with “valuable information.”

“These matters, which are directly related to threats to our democratic institutions, are of the utmost public interest. I believe we owe the American people transparency,” Wyden said of Sessions’s possible testimony.

Sessions said Saturday he plans to testify in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee this week to address Comey’s testimony about him. 

Wyden in the letter said none of the subjects Sessions will testify about need to be classified.

“In fact, most of these topics have already been addressed publicly by the Department of Justice and the Attorney General himself,” he said.