Tweets by Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democratic member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggest she met with the Russian ambassador at least twice during a period she denied doing so.
McCaskill, as she built her case Thursday for Sessions’ resignation on the heels of reports that the Republican attorney general had met twice with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 campaign, tweeted she had never contacted the Russian ambassador while serving on the committee.
I’ve been on the Armed Services Com for 10 years.No call or meeting w/Russian ambassador. Ever. Ambassadors call members of Foreign Rel Com.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 2, 2017
But a pair of old tweets began circulating on social media shortly afterward that showed the Missouri Democrat had indeed met with the Russian ambassador during her decade of service on the Armed Services Committee.
In 2013, McCaskill took to Twitter to announce she was “off to [a] meeting” with the Russian ambassador to lodge complaints about Moscow’s decision to ban Americans from adopting Russian children that year.
Off to meeting w/Russian Ambassador. Upset about the arbitrary/cruel decision to end all US adoptions,even those in process.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 30, 2013
Two years later, McCaskill tweeted that she planned to place a phone call to the Russian ambassador over the Iran nuclear agreement.
Today calls with British, Russian, and German Ambassadors re: Iran deal. #doingmyhomework
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) August 6, 2015
Sessions denied during his confirmation hearing earlier this year that he had met with the Russians during the campaign. Democrats have accused President Trump’s associates of maintaining inappropriate ties to Russian officials, but the White House and Trump’s aides have denied the allegations.
McCaskill’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
