Comey accepts Senate Intel Committee invitation to testify
WASHINGTON – Former FBI Director James Comey has accepted an invitation to publicly testify before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
“The Committee looks forward to receiving testimony from the former Director on his role in the development of the Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, and I am hopeful that he will clarify for the American people recent events that have been broadly reported in the media,” Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said in a statement Friday.
The committee extended the invitation last week following The New York Times reporting that the recently fired FBI director wrote a memo about a February meeting with President Donald Trump.
Prior to testifying Comey plans to talk to Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller. The two law enforcement officials worked previously together under President George W. Bush where they took a stand against the NSA surveillance program. They also were highly criticized for their handling of the anthrax investigation and jumping to conclusions by targeting wrongfully accused Stephen Hatfill, who successfully sued the government and won $4.6 million.
During the meeting the president reportedly told Comey that he hoped the Bureau would not pursue the investigation into former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s correspondence with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and the retired lieutenant general’s reported business dealings with Russia media outlets.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions in March recused himself from the Trump-Russia probe following reports that he had twice met with Kislyak while a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein last week under intense bipartisan political pressure stemming from the The Times’ publication of the reported memo, appointed a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation.
Multiple House and Senate Committees are investigating Russia’s attempt to manipulate the outcome of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election as well as allegations of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and high-ranking Russian officials.
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has not yet set a date for Comey’s testimony but the former director is expected to appear following Congress’ one-week Memorial Day recess which begins Friday and ends June 5th.
Comey declined an invitation to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Comey later today is expected to announce whether he will accept an invitation from the House Oversight Committee to testify Wednesday morning.
This story is republished with permission from Talk Media News
Bryan is an award-winning political journalist who has extensive experience covering Congress and Maryland state government.
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