Throughout the beginning of his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Attorney General Jeff Sessions seemed to keep his cool as senators asked about whether he had colluded with Russian officials and whether he recalled meetings with the Russian ambassador.
And then came Sen. Ron Wyden came along.
The Oregon Democrat appeared to touch a nerve during his questioning of Sessions.
Wyden kicked off his time by saying that Americans "have had it with stonewalling."
"Americans don't want to hear that answers to questions are privileged and off limits or that they can't be provided in public, or that it would be 'inappropriate' for witnesses to tell us what they know," he said.
Wyden then asked about Sessions' interactions with James Comey, the ex-FBI director fired by President Trump.
"Sen. Wyden, I am not stonewalling," Sessions said. "I am following the historic policies of the Department of Justice."
As their exchange continued, Wyden asked about Comey's testimony, in which he said that there were problematic issues with Sessions' recusal from the Russia investigation.
"What are they?" Wyden asked.
At this, Sessions grew visibly agitated.
"Why don't you tell me?" Sessions answered. "There are none, Sen. Wyden. There are none. I can tell you that for absolute certainty. This is a secret innuendo being leaked out there about me, and I don't appreciate it."
Wyden then asked about whether signing the letter for Comey's firing violated his recusal from the Russia investigation. Sessions said it did not.
Wyden retorted, "That answer, in my view, doesn't pass the smell test."
