For the second time in just a week, Sen. Kamala Harris was cut off by her Republican colleagues while posing questions at a Senate intelligence committee hearing.
While asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions about his refusal to answer questions Tuesday concerning conversations he may have had with President Donald Trump, the California Democrat was interrupted by Sen. John McCain of Arizona and admonished by the chairman of the committee.
The same thing happened last week when McCain first interrupted Harris to ask her to let Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein answer the question posed.
During this week’s hearing, Sessions repeatedly explained his repeated non-disclosures by citing what he called a long-standing Department of Justice policy. Asked by Harris about the policy’s origin, he began discussing its principle.
Harris followed up, “Sir, I am not asking about you the principle. I am asking — when you knew that you would be asked these questions and you would rely on that policy, did you not ask your staff to show you the policy that would be the basis for your refusing–”
At this point, McCain spoke over Harris, saying, “Chairman, the witness should be allowed to answer the question.”
Harris went on to finish the question just before committee chairman Richard Burr chimed in, “Senators, we’ll allow the chair to control the hearing. Senator Harris, let him answer the question.”
Shortly after the exchange, Harris tweeted, “It was a simple question. Can Sessions point to the policy, in writing, that allows him to not answer a whole host of our questions today.”