washington u.s. attorney general jeff sessions public testimony senate panel tuesday set another potentially dramatic hear possible tie president donald trump campaign russian meddle 2016 presidential race sessions likely face tough question open senate intelligence committee hear deal russian officials campaign whether role fire former fbi director jam comey statement monday committee chairman richard burr republican unclear whether sessions would testify open close set initially sessions expect testify closed-door session say two source familiar attorney general think leave decision burr source say justice department spokeswoman say sessions request open set believe important american people hear truth directly him comey tell panel last week fbi information mid-february sessions would make problematic attorney general continue lead federal probe russian attempt influence presidential election sessions recuse inquiry march media report two previously undisclosed meet last year russian ambassador sergei kislyak tuesday testimony schedule start 2:30 p.m. 1830 gmt first sessions congressional hear since become attorney general nomination hear january former senator tell senate judiciary committee contact russian officials part trump campaign sessions likely question truthfulness answer january spokesman justice department say media report emerge march meet sessions answer honestly encounter part job senator surrogate trump campaign democratic senator dianne feinstein member senate intelligence judiciary committees say sessions answer question january testimony intelligence committee members also likely ask sessions possible third undisclosed meet kislyak investigation accord media report sessions early supporter trump election campaign senior government official testify committee russia issue dog republican president early months office critics charge fire comey may trump try hind fbi russia probe former fbi chief add fuel accusation testimony last week trump deny try interfere probe testimony comey say ask sessions leave alone trump follow meet say trump ask comey loyalty attorney general may also face question media report last week say sessions offer resign tensions trump decision recuse fbi russia probe allegations investigate special counsel robert mueller several congressional panel include senate intelligence committee russia deny interfere u.s. election white house deny collusion moscow attorney general sessions talk publicly u.s. senate panel