Washington (CNN) Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify at a public hearing of the Senate intelligence committee Tuesday afternoon, the committee said in a statement. As late as Sunday, the Justice Department signaled it expected Sessions testimony to be closed but said the final decision was up to the committee. But behind the scenes, there was significant pushback from Democrats -- including Senate Intelligence Committee vice chairman Mark Warner -- who raised objections with Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr that Sessions may be trying to skirt public scrutiny. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, an intelligence committee member, said senators were still deciding whether Sessions would be asked to testify in a classified briefing after the public hearing. But intelligence committee members at first were unaware of a planned hearing.

Source: CNN June 12, 2017 15:12 UTC