U.S. attorney general Sessions evasive on Russia probe: congressmenWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused to answer questions on Thursday during a closed congressional hearing about whether President Donald Trump ever instructed him to hinder the Justice Department’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to Democratic lawmakers who attended. Sessions testified behind closed doors for several hours   before the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. Representative Adam Schiff, the committee’s top Democrat, told reporters he was troubled by Sessions’ refusal to answer what he believes are essential questions. “I asked the attorney general whether he was ever instructed by the president to take any action that he believed would hinder the Russia investigation and he declined to answer the question,” Schiff told reporters after the hearing. “There is no privileged basis to decline to answer a question like that. If the president did not instruct him to take an action that would hinder the investigation, he should say so. If the president did instruct him to hinder the investigation in any way, in my view that would be a potential criminal act,” Schiff said. Representative Mike Quigley, another Democratic committee member, said on MSNBC that Sessions “is one of the most forgetful persons who works out of Washington, D.C., or he’s being less than candid with the American public.” Sessions declined to comment to reporters as he left the secure hearing room.  The panel is among several congressional committees, along with the Justice Department’s special counsel Robert Mueller, investigating allegations that Russia sought to influence the  U.S. election and potential collusion by Trump’s campaign. Moscow has denied any meddling and Trump has said there was no collusion. Another source familiar with his testimony said that Sessions said he could not remember the answers to many important questions, and the answers he did provide concerning meetings with Russians tracked statements he had previously made in other congressional hearings. A spokeswoman for Sessions said he has consistently declined to discuss his communications with Trump in the past, and that he has also previously said he was never instructed to do anything illegal or improper.  When he was a Republican U.S. senator, Sessions was an early supporter and close adviser to Trump during his run for the White House. Democrats have accused Sessions of repeatedly changing his sworn testimony throughout several prior congressional hearings about meetings and contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Schiff said committee members asked Sessions questions during the closed hearing about his prior testimony and about “interactions the campaign had with Russia.” The intelligence committee also met for more than three hours on Thursday with Erik Prince, who founded the private military contractor Blackwater and was a supporter of Trump’s presidential campaign. One focus of Thursday’s interview was expected to be a meeting Prince had in the Seychelles Islands in January, which some news reports later described as an effort to connect the incoming Trump administration with Moscow. Prince’s sister, Betsy DeVos, is Trump’s Secretary of Education, and he has said the Seychelles meeting had nothing to do with Trump. Schiff told reporters there were some “unresolved issues” after Prince’s testimony. Prince complained that the hearing had wasted time and taxpayer dollars on a “meaningless fishing expedition.” A spokesman for Prince later issued a statement saying Prince had volunteered to answer questions. “As we have said throughout, Mr. Prince has never acted on behalf of President Trump, the transition team or his administration regarding Russia.” The Republican-led committee is planning to publicly release the transcript of Prince’s closed hearing, described as “public in a closed setting” within about three days. There is no plan to release a transcript from Sessions’ testimony. politicsNews
attorney general sessions evasive russia probe congressmenwashington reuters attorney general jeff sessions refused answer questions thursday closed congressional hearing whether president donald trump ever instructed hinder justice department investigation russian interference election according democratic lawmakers attended sessions testified behind closed doors several hours house representatives intelligence committee representative adam chief committee top democrat told reporters troubled sessions refusal answer believes essential questions i asked attorney general whether ever instructed president take action believed would hinder russia investigation declined answer question chief told reporters hearing there privileged basis decline answer question like if president instruct take action would hinder investigation say if president instruct hinder investigation way view would potential criminal act chief said representative mike quigley another democratic committee member said msnbc sessions one forceful persons works washington less candid american sessions declined comment reporters left secure hearing room the panel among several congressional committees along justice department special counsel robert mueller investigating allegations russia sought influence election potential collusion trump campaign moscow denied meddling trump said collusion another source familiar testimony said sessions said could remember answers many important questions answers provide concerning meetings russian tracked statements previously made congressional hearings a spokeswoman sessions said consistently declined discuss communications trump past also previously said never instructed anything illegal improper when republican senator sessions early supporter close adviser trump run white house democrats accused sessions repeatedly changing sworn testimony throughout several prior congressional hearings meetings contacts trump campaign russian officials chief said committee members asked sessions questions closed hearing prior testimony interactions campaign the intelligence committee also met three hours thursday erik prince founded private military contractor blackwater supporter trump presidential campaign one focus thursday interview expected meeting prince seychelles islands january news reports later described effort connect incoming trump administration moscow prince sister bets demos trump secretary education said seychelles meeting nothing trump chief told reporters unresolved issues prince testimony prince complained hearing wasted time taxpayer dollars meaningless fishing a spokesman prince later issued statement saying prince volunteered answer questions as said throughout mr prince never acted behalf president trump transition team administration regarding the committee planning publicly release transcript prince closed hearing described public closed setting within three days there plan release transcript sessions testimony politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. attorney general Sessions evasive on Russia probe: congressmenWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused to answer questions on Thursday during a closed congressional hearing about whether President Donald Trump ever instructed him to hinder the Justice Department’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to Democratic lawmakers who attended. Sessions testified behind closed doors for several hours   before the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. Representative Adam Schiff, the committee’s top Democrat, told reporters he was troubled by Sessions’ refusal to answer what he believes are essential questions. “I asked the attorney general whether he was ever instructed by the president to take any action that he believed would hinder the Russia investigation and he declined to answer the question,” Schiff told reporters after the hearing. “There is no privileged basis to decline to answer a question like that. If the president did not instruct him to take an action that would hinder the investigation, he should say so. If the president did instruct him to hinder the investigation in any way, in my view that would be a potential criminal act,” Schiff said. Representative Mike Quigley, another Democratic committee member, said on MSNBC that Sessions “is one of the most forgetful persons who works out of Washington, D.C., or he’s being less than candid with the American public.” Sessions declined to comment to reporters as he left the secure hearing room.  The panel is among several congressional committees, along with the Justice Department’s special counsel Robert Mueller, investigating allegations that Russia sought to influence the  U.S. election and potential collusion by Trump’s campaign. Moscow has denied any meddling and Trump has said there was no collusion. Another source familiar with his testimony said that Sessions said he could not remember the answers to many important questions, and the answers he did provide concerning meetings with Russians tracked statements he had previously made in other congressional hearings. A spokeswoman for Sessions said he has consistently declined to discuss his communications with Trump in the past, and that he has also previously said he was never instructed to do anything illegal or improper.  When he was a Republican U.S. senator, Sessions was an early supporter and close adviser to Trump during his run for the White House. Democrats have accused Sessions of repeatedly changing his sworn testimony throughout several prior congressional hearings about meetings and contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Schiff said committee members asked Sessions questions during the closed hearing about his prior testimony and about “interactions the campaign had with Russia.” The intelligence committee also met for more than three hours on Thursday with Erik Prince, who founded the private military contractor Blackwater and was a supporter of Trump’s presidential campaign. One focus of Thursday’s interview was expected to be a meeting Prince had in the Seychelles Islands in January, which some news reports later described as an effort to connect the incoming Trump administration with Moscow. Prince’s sister, Betsy DeVos, is Trump’s Secretary of Education, and he has said the Seychelles meeting had nothing to do with Trump. Schiff told reporters there were some “unresolved issues” after Prince’s testimony. Prince complained that the hearing had wasted time and taxpayer dollars on a “meaningless fishing expedition.” A spokesman for Prince later issued a statement saying Prince had volunteered to answer questions. “As we have said throughout, Mr. Prince has never acted on behalf of President Trump, the transition team or his administration regarding Russia.” The Republican-led committee is planning to publicly release the transcript of Prince’s closed hearing, described as “public in a closed setting” within about three days. There is no plan to release a transcript from Sessions’ testimony. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: attorney general sessions evasive russia probe congressmenwashington reuters attorney general jeff sessions refused answer questions thursday closed congressional hearing whether president donald trump ever instructed hinder justice department investigation russian interference election according democratic lawmakers attended sessions testified behind closed doors several hours house representatives intelligence committee representative adam chief committee top democrat told reporters troubled sessions refusal answer believes essential questions i asked attorney general whether ever instructed president take action believed would hinder russia investigation declined answer question chief told reporters hearing there privileged basis decline answer question like if president instruct take action would hinder investigation say if president instruct hinder investigation way view would potential criminal act chief said representative mike quigley another democratic committee member said msnbc sessions one forceful persons works washington less candid american sessions declined comment reporters left secure hearing room the panel among several congressional committees along justice department special counsel robert mueller investigating allegations russia sought influence election potential collusion trump campaign moscow denied meddling trump said collusion another source familiar testimony said sessions said could remember answers many important questions answers provide concerning meetings russian tracked statements previously made congressional hearings a spokeswoman sessions said consistently declined discuss communications trump past also previously said never instructed anything illegal improper when republican senator sessions early supporter close adviser trump run white house democrats accused sessions repeatedly changing sworn testimony throughout several prior congressional hearings meetings contacts trump campaign russian officials chief said committee members asked sessions questions closed hearing prior testimony interactions campaign the intelligence committee also met three hours thursday erik prince founded private military contractor blackwater supporter trump presidential campaign one focus thursday interview expected meeting prince seychelles islands january news reports later described effort connect incoming trump administration moscow prince sister bets demos trump secretary education said seychelles meeting nothing trump chief told reporters unresolved issues prince testimony prince complained hearing wasted time taxpayer dollars meaningless fishing a spokesman prince later issued statement saying prince volunteered answer questions as said throughout mr prince never acted behalf president trump transition team administration regarding the committee planning publicly release transcript prince closed hearing described public closed setting within three days there plan release transcript sessions testimony politicsnews