In written questions, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) asked, “Will you commit that, if you are confirmed as Attorney General, you will recuse yourself from any investigation into whether President-elect Trump or any of his family, campaign staff, business associates or advisors had any communication with Russian officials or operatives during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, or had any connection to, knowledge of, or involvement in Russian efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election?” Sessions responded, “I am not aware of a basis to recuse myself from such investigations." This question is about contacts "during," the 2016 election, as well as  "about" the 2016 election. Sessions did have contact with Russians during the election, and his answer is somewhere on the spectrum between evasive and lying.

A White House official told CNBC’s John Harwood there was “superficial” discussion of the election. "Superficial" contact is still contact.