Sessions Jokes to Conservative Group: 'Anybody Been to Russia?'

Attorney General Jeff Sessions joked about his ties to Russia as he began his speech to the National Lawyer's Convention, a three-day conference in Washington, D.C., hosted by the conservative Federalist Society.

"Is Ambassador [Sergey] Kislyak in the room?" Sessions asked, The Hill reported Friday. "Before I get started here — any Russians? Anybody been to Russia? Got a cousin in Russia or something?" 

Sessions' joke was met with laughter and applause from guests at the convention, however his remarks were left out of the official transcript of the speech.

Sessions testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, maintaining he did not lie during his confirmation hearings when asked about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Sessions reportedly met with Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., during last year's presidential campaign. Those meetings have been of interest in the ongoing Russia investigations.

At a rally in West Virginia last August, President Donald Trump made a similar joke while running for president.

"Have you seen any Russians in West Virginia, or Ohio or Pennsylvania?" Trump asked. "Are there any Russians here tonight?"

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