Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., intensified his criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday, accusing Sessions of lying before the Senate Judiciary Committee at his confirmation hearing about his contact with the Russians.

Before Friday, Franken told the Washington Post that he "bent over backward" not to call Sessions a liar. But asked Friday on MSNBC's "Meet the Press Daily" if Sessions lied, Franken responded, "Yeah, I think he did."

"I think that he did not answer truthfully under oath," Franken said, responding to reports that there may have been a third conversation between Sessions and Russian ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak. Former FBI Director James Comey reportedly spoke of the possibility of the third meeting in the closed-door portion of his testimony yesterday before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The senator asked Sessions what he would do as attorney general if there was evidence that anyone involved with the Trump campaign had contact with the Russians.

Sessions said at his confirmation hearing that he couldn't answer that question, but added, "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

After it was pointed out that Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, did not think it was necessary to bring Sessions back before the committee amid revelations that he met twice with Kislyak, Franken said there may be other options to get Sessions to answer questions before the Senate.

Franken noted that Sessions is scheduled to testify next week on the Justice Department's budget before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice, Science, and Commerce next week. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, is ranking member of the subcommittee and the Judiciary Committee "and I'm sure [Sessions] will get some questions" on Russia, Franken said.