Comey Hit with Subpoena Over Clinton Emails, Russia Investigation
Former FBI Director James Comey announced Thursday that he had been subpoenaed by Republicans to appear before the House Judiciary Committee.
Comey said that while he plans to comply with the request, he will push back against a “closed door” meeting.
“Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans,” Comey tweeted.
“I’m still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a ‘closed door’ thing because I’ve seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let’s have a hearing and invite everyone to see.”
Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. I’m still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a “closed door” thing because I’ve seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let’s have a hearing and invite everyone to see.
— James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018
Comey’s attorney, David Kelley, told Fox News in a statement that while Comey plans to comply with the House’s request, he believes that it shows “an abuse of process.”
“Mr. Comey embraces and welcomes a hearing open to the public, but the subpoena issued yesterday represents an abuse of process, a divergence from House rules and its presumption of transparency,” Kelley said.
“Accordingly, Mr. Comey will resist in Court this abuse of process,” he added.
Comey’s testimony is slated to take place early next month and he is expected to answer questions pertaining to the allegation that an anti-Trump bias was what led to the shutting down of the FBI’s probe into the Hillary Clinton email scandal.
The committee is also expected to ask if the same alleged bias led to the FBI opening its investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia.
According to a Fox News source, Loretta Lynch, former President Barack Obama’s attorney general, was also subpoenaed.
Politico reported that both Comey and Lynch had been subpoenaed and that the pair would be required to appear on Dec. 3 and 4, respectively.
According to Politico, Comey had already rejected an invitation from the committee to testify privately, at which time he asked for a public hearing.
House Democrats also prefer that the hearing be public, according to Politico.
“Democrats say the GOP investigation itself is a partisan attempt to build up a conspiracy theory and protect Trump from the ongoing Russia probe, now led by special counsel Robert Mueller,” Politico reported.
Comey alluded to the invitation in a tweet last week, stating that House members wanted him to testify, but he would only do so in public.
“House Republicans can ask me anything they want but I want the American people to watch, so let’s have a public hearing,” Comey tweeted.
“Truth is best served by transparency. Let me know when is convenient.”
House Republicans can ask me anything they want but I want the American people to watch, so let’s have a public hearing. Truth is best served by transparency. Let me know when is convenient.
— James Comey (@Comey) November 16, 2018
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