Attorney General Jeff Sessions' testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday was for the most part blasé. That is, until U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden started asking questions.

Questions from Wyden, a Democrat who is Oregon's senior U.S. senator, drew angry responses from a visibly annoyed Sessions.

Senate Intelligence Committee member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., questions Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 13, 2017, as he testified before the Committee's hearing about his role in the firing of FBI Director James Comey and the investigation into contacts between Trump campaign associates and Russia.

Wyden questioned Sessions about an FBI investigation of potential ties between Donald Trump's campaign and Russians and the ousting of ex-FBI director James Comey.

Wyden also accused the attorney general of stonewalling. The comment came after other senators admonished the attorney general for refusing to answer questions about his discussions with president Donald Trump, despite having questionable legal grounds to stay mum.

Wyden told Sessions that "the American people have had it with stonewalling."

Sessions shook his head and retorted, "Sen. Wyden, I am not stonewalling."

Sessions has faced pressure from the press, public and Democrats because of his recommendation that Comey be fired. In March, Sessions recused himself from the FBI's Russia inquiry following reports that Sessions had not told all about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States. Some saw Sessions' recommendation in early May that Comey be fired as violating his recusal.

Comey testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee last week that he found Sessions' involvement in his firing "problematic," but said he could not discuss details in an open setting.

Wyden asked Sessions what Comey meant by saying that's the attorney general's actions were an issue.

Sessions responded that he had in effect recused himself the day he was sworn in and maintains that the recusal was "honorable and proper."

Wyden pushed back, telling Sessions he was not answering, and asked again what may have been problematic about Sessions' involvement.

"Why don't you tell me?" Sessions responded. "There are none, Sen. Wyden. There are none. I can tell you that with absolute certainty. This is a secret innuendo that is being leaked out there about me and I don't appreciate it."

Wyden, in his comments, pointed out the "innuendo" came from Comey.

Wyden then asked Sessions why he recommended Comey be fired, which Wyden said "violated" his recusal agreement.

Sessions responded, "It did not violate my recusal."

"That answer, in my view, doesn't pass the smell test," Wyden said.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman