Sacked FBI director James Comey and former attorney general Loretta Lynch have been subpoenaed to testify before Congress next month before Republicans hand over control of the House to the Democrats, documents showed Thursday.
Comey acknowledged that he had received a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee but said he would resist if compelled to answer questions behind closed doors.
“I’m still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions,” he tweeted.
“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
Lynch, who served under former president Barack Obama, did not immediately comment, but copies of the subpoenas made public Thursday show she was summoned to testify on December 4. Comey was ordered to appear before the committee on December 3.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Comey and Lynch of covering for failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in an investigation into her use of a private server for emails while she was secretary of state.
He has frequently leveled charges of bias in countering an investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into whether the Trump campaign colluded with a Russian effort to influence the outcome of the 2016 elections in the Republican party’s favor.
Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is believed to have indicated earlier this week that he planned to compel Comey and Lynch to testify on political bias at the Justice Department before Democrats take over leadership of the House in January.
– With reporting from Agence France-Presse