FBI told to hand over all communications between Donald Trump and James Comey

House Oversight Committee chairman Jason Chaffetz says body seeking to determine whether President tried to obstruct investigation into campaign's ties to Russia

Wednesday 17 May 2017 08:04 BST
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Chaffetz's letter comes just hours after the disclosure that Comey drafted a memo that detailed how Trump had asked him to shut down the Flynn investigation
Chaffetz's letter comes just hours after the disclosure that Comey drafted a memo that detailed how Trump had asked him to shut down the Flynn investigation

The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee is requesting that the FBI turn over all documents and recordings that detail communications between former FBI Director James Comey and President Donald Trump.

Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican-Utah, says in a letter to the FBI that he's making the request to determine whether the president attempted to influence or impede the bureau's investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Chaffetz's letter comes just hours after the disclosure that Comey drafted a memo that detailed how Trump had asked him to shut down the Flynn investigation. Chaffetz's letter to acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe requests all memoranda, notes, summaries and recordings that relate to any communications between Comey and the president.

The letter gives the FBI a week to produce the records.

Some Republicans are meanwhile voicing support for President Donald Trump following a report that the president asked James Comey to stop an FBI investigation.

Representative Blake Farenthold, Republican-Texas, says he wants to see more details, but he believes “this is another example of whatever Trump does gets the worst possible spin.”

Farenthold says Comey would have been duty-bound to report to the Justice Department any command to stop the investigation.

He says there's a difference between “'Hey, Flynn's a good guy, it would be nice if you cut him a break' as opposed to 'I'm the president. Quit investigating, damn it.”'

Representative Joe Wilson, Republican-South Carolina, says he too wants more details, but he also notes that Trump's standing with South Carolina Republicans has “actually grown.”

Copyright Associated Press

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