Here's what Franken asked Sessions and his reply:

[trof]

"if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?"

Sessions did NOT answer that question.
He said: "Senator Franken, I'm not aware of any of those activities.
(It was headline news at least two days prior to the hearing.)
I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have — did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/mar/02/context-what-jeff-sessions-told-al-franken-about-m/

Franken did not ask Sessions if he'd talked to the Russians ABOUT the campaign.
Just had anybody with the campaign COMMUNICATED with the Russian government DURING the campaign..

Sessions did something that no knowledgeable/sane attorney would do.
He VOLUNTEERED information.
"did not have communications with the Russians"

That was a lie.
And that is perjury.
And that is a felony.
You could look it up.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. YOu forgot something VERY important

not only IOKIYAR

but the only dept who can do anything about this is HIS

[trof]

3. And there you are.

Catch 22

[Caliman73]

2. Exactly!

It was not a lie of omission as many are calling it. It was a direct lie that he did not have to engage in. He could simply have said, "If I were made aware of anything that appeared to be illegal, as attorney general it would be my responsibility to investigate." Of course that would be a lie of omission because he knew damn well he had talked with the Russians, but it would not be the dumpster fire it is now.

They really think that they are untouchable at this point, which I guess with a Republican Congress, you might think, but when things are so blatant they tend to start to move beyond the boundaries of Party. Eventually, other Republicans are going to want to save their own skins. No one, not even Trump is outside the reach of another floundering politician.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. But HERE is what he answered Sen. Leahy:

Link to tweet

[KingBob]

4. Frog march him

Time to frog march the little pissant to the graybar hotel.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Just stopped by to say hi and welcome to DU.

always good to see another Dem. in our state.

[Fred Sanders]

5. CBS brought on their legal expert to say this was not perjury because Sessions did not intend to lie

under oath according this "expert". The law is complicated and has many different areas of expertise. One legal expert is not enough for all issues. To me this needs to be tested in a trial....he clearly told an untruth and the intent to mean what you say is assumed.

[trof]

6. Contorsionist Greta Sustern was bending over backwards

to explain why it wasn't perjury.
She was full of shit.
I guess she brought Fox with her to MSNBC.

[jmg257]

7. His answer isn't quite so strange in context...

These documents also allegedly say quote, ‘There was a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump's surrogates and intermediaries
... But if it's true, it's obviously extremely serious and if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with...

Though he did not answer the actual question as it was asked.

[trof]

9. Where does that come from? Is it a quote from somewhere?

[jmg257]

10. From the Franken questioning transcript..,

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bustle.com/p/transcript-of-jeff-sessions-russia-testimony-shows-exactly-what-he-said-at-his-confirmation-41938/amp