The Justice Department says it will not permit two FBI officials close to fired director James Comey to appear privately before a congressional committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The Senate Judiciary Committee had asked in July to interview the two officials, Jim Rybicki and Carl Ghattas, and then agreed to narrow the scope of questioning after the Justice Department initially declined to make the men available.
-
![]()
Senate interview with Trump’s lawyer over Russian probe postponed -
![]()
Trump calls Russia’s interference in U.S. election ‘total fabrication’ -
![]()
Former CIA director confirms ‘brazen’ Russian interference in U.S. election -
![]()
Acting FBI Director: Investigation into Russian interference continues -
![]()
Former U.S. AG Yates to testify on Russian interference in 2016 presidential election -
![]()
Democrats call for special prosecutor to probe Russian interference -
![]()
Obama: Russian interference in election should be a bipartisan issue -
![]()
Rep. Adam Schiff comments on Trump Jr. email exchange on Russian meeting
But in a letter this week obtained by The Associated Press, the Justice Department said it would still not permit the officials to be questioned in order to “protect the integrity” of the investigation being done by special counsel Robert Mueller. Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd said in the letter that the overlapping areas of the committee’s investigation and Mueller’s probe had not yet been sorted out, or “de-conflicted.”
Ghattas is the head of the FBI’s national security branch and Rybicki served as chief of staff to Comey, who was fired in May by President Donald Trump. Comey has said those men were among the FBI officials with whom he shared concerns about Trump’s behavior toward him, in the weeks before he was fired.
The Justice Department’s refusal to make Ghattas and Rybicki available is an indication that Mueller, who is leading the Justice Department’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, sees them as relevant witnesses to the events leading up to Comey’s firing.
-
![]()
White House has ‘no problem’ with Sally Yates testifying in Russia probe -
![]()
Nunes declares he will ‘move forward’ on Russia investigation -
![]()
Amidst ongoing investigation into Russian ties, President Trump is back on the campaign trail -
![]()
White House: Presence of an investigation on Russian hacking doesn’t mean anything -
![]()
Biden warns EU nations of Russia meddling in upcoming elections -
![]()
Donald Trump ignores Russian ties to hacking after meeting with top officials -
![]()
Nancy Pelosi calls CIA report on Russian hacking a ‘stunning disclosure’
Comey has said Trump asked him to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn and had also asked him over dinner to pledge his loyalty to him.
The July 27 refusal letter from the department, which CNN was first to report on, cites the department’s “long-standing policy regarding the confidentiality and sensitivity of information relating to pending matters.”
The Judiciary Committee is one of multiple congressional panels investigating Russian meddling in the election. The committee heard privately last week from Donald Trump Jr. about a June 2016 meeting involving a Russian lawyer and an offer to provide damaging information about his father’s opponent, Hillary Clinton.
Comments