Richmond Free Press
June 15-17, 2017
A7
News
Sessions denies any collusion with Russia during Trump campaign Reuters
WASHINGTON U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday denounced as a “detestable lie” the idea he colluded with Russians meddling in the 2016 election, and he clashed with Democratic lawmakers over his refusal to detail his conversations with President Trump. Mr. Sessions, a senior member of President Trump’s Cabinet and an adviser to his election campaign last year, had a series of tense exchanges with Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee during about 2½ hours of testimony as they pressed him to recount discussions with the Republican president. “You raised your right hand here today and said you would solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich said. “Now you’re not answering questions. You’re impeding this investigation.” Mr. Sessions refused to say whether he and President Trump discussed former FBI Director James Comey’s handling of an investigation into possible collusion between President Trump’s campaign and Russia during the election campaign before the president fired Mr. Comey on May 9. He also declined to say if President Trump opposed Mr. Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe in March, and whether Justice Department officials discussed
possible presidential probe, prompted critpardons of individuics to charge that the als being looked at in president was trying the probe. to interfere with a Democratic Sen. criminal investigaRon Wyden told tion. Mr. Sessions: “I beSen. Angus King, lieve the American an independent, people have had it questioned Mr. Seswith stonewalling. sions’ legal basis for Americans don’t refusing to answer Jeff Sessions want to hear that questions after Mr. answers to relevant questions Sessions said President Trump are privileged.” had not invoked executive “I am not stonewalling,” Mr. privilege regarding the conSessions replied, saying he was versations. simply following Justice DeExecutive privilege can partment policy not to discuss be claimed by a president or confidential communications senior government officials with the president. to withhold information from Mr. Sessions’ testimony did Congress or the courts to protect not provide any new informa- the executive branch decisiontion on Trump campaign ties making process. with Russia or on Mr. Comey’s Mr. Sessions said it would dismissal, but his refusal to be “inappropriate” for him to discuss conversations with reveal private conversations President Trump raised new with President Trump when questions about whether the the president “has not had a White House has something full opportunity to review the to hide. questions and to make a decision Adam Schiff, the top Demo- on whether or not to approve crat on the House of Representa- such an answer.” tives’ Intelligence Committee, Mr. Sessions’ clash with the which is conducting a parallel Democratic senators was the Russia probe, said on Twitter latest chapter in a saga that that Congress “must compel has dogged President Trump responses using whatever pro- in his first five months as cess necessary.” president and distracted from Last week, Mr. Comey told his domestic policy agenda the Senate committee that Presi- including major health care dent Trump had fired him to and tax cut initiatives. undermine the FBI’s investiga“The suggestion that I tion of the Russia matter. participated in any collusion President Trump’s decision or that I was aware of any to fire Mr. Comey, a move collusion with the Russian recommended by Mr. Ses- government to hurt this counsions despite having already try, which I have served with recused himself from the Russia honor for over 35 years, or
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to undermine the integrity of our democratic process, is an appalling and detestable lie,” Mr. Sessions said. “I have never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States. Further, I have no knowledge of any such conversations by anyone connected with the Trump campaign.” U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in a report released in January that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an effort to interfere in the election to help President Trump in part by hacking and releasing damaging emails about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Russia has denied any such interference, and President Trump has denied any collusion by his campaign with Moscow. Mr. Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation in March after revelations that he had failed to disclose two meetings last year with Russia’s ambassador to Washington, Sergei Kislyak. In his testimony on Tuesday, Mr. Sessions addressed media reports that he may have had a third previously undisclosed meeting with Ambassador Kislyak at Washington’s Mayflower Hotel last year. Mr. Sessions said he did not have any private meetings and could not recall any conversations with any Russian officials at the hotel but did not rule out that a “brief interaction” with Ambassador Kislyak may have occurred there.
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An architectural rendering shows the modern lines of the 18-story, $100 million apartment building that site owner Steve Uphoff has planned for the quarter-acre lot at Belvidere and Grace streets when his Sunoco gas station is removed. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Institute for Contemporary Art is being constructed next door.
18-story apartment tower planned for Belvidere, Grace streets By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Richmond is losing another gas station on the edge of Downtown, but is set to gain a $100 million apartment tower in exchange. Steve Uphoff, who has made his fortune with his Uppy’s Convenience Stores and Uptown bowling alley chain, announced plans this week to develop an 18-story luxury residential tower at Belvidere and Grace streets. His plans call for a modern tower that is to include 129 apartments, a rooftop pool, five floors of parking and space on the first and second floors for retail outlets, including one of his signature bowling alleys. He’s now tearing down the Sunoco gas station he owns and operated on the quarter-acre lot that is separated by an alley from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Institute for Contemporary Art that is nearing completion at Belvidere and Broad streets. Mr. Uphoff stated that construction of the high-rise building should begin in October, when the art center is to open. He added the zoning of the property allows for such a large building. He has been eyeing redevelopment of the property for some time. His initial plan was for a less auspicious, six-story apartment complex, but he never moved ahead. Instead, he revamped the plans to create a statement project. Mr. Uphoff had rejected bids from VCU to buy the property, stating that he preferred to undertake his own development.
A.V. Norrell to stay open By Jeremy M. Lazarus
The A.V. Norrell Elementary School building in North Side, which was slated for closure, likely is going to fill up again with more school employees. Thomas E. Kranz, the Richmond school system’s chief operating officer and soonto-be interim superintendent, has indicated that he now sees merit in continuing to use the building as office space. He said he could avoid the expense of fixing up other space by keeping it open, even though the Richmond School Board had designated the building in the 2100 block of Fendall Avenue for closure a year ago.
Long emptied of students, the building for the past few years has housed Head Start, driver’s education and other school system departments. The Norrell Annex, nearby at 201 W. Graham Road, was closed last month after three students broke into the building and shot a member of the schools nutrition staff. The 10and 11-year-old students were arrested last week after being caught inside Overby-Sheppard Elementary about a mile away in Highland Park. Mr. Kranz said at the time that the main Norrell building would close in June. However, with the change, Mr. Kranz said the Head Start
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and driver’s ed staffs likely will remain in the building and previously emptied space will house the school security division. The Teacher Store, where Richmond educators can stock up on classroom supplies, also is to remain. Keeping the building open would be a boon to others, including the Richmond Electoral Board, which has long used the building as Precinct 305, which was open on Tuesday for voters to cast ballots in the primary elections. The building’s gym also serves groups including the nonprofit Men of Barton Heights that offers positive youth programs as well as providing programming space for the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facility’s Battery Park operation. Battery Park’s football field also is on the school grounds.
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