Tonight, House Oversight Committee chair Rep. Jason Cheffetz (R, UT-03) wrote a letter to the FBI giving them one week to turn over “memoranda, notes, summaries, [and] recordings” of James Comey’s that may detail President Donald Trump’s attempt to end the FBI investigation of Michael Flynn.
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As Chairman, Rep. Chaffetz has the power to subpoena the documents if they do not cooperate.
NEW: Chaffetz letter to FBI asking for all memoranda, notes, summaries, recordings relating to communications btwn Comey/Trump by May 24th pic.twitter.com/HxNzis45Rs
— Alex Moe (@alexmoeflo) May 17, 2017
The letter follows a lurid New York Times report that says Trump asked fired FBI Director James Comey to end the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, saying “I hope you can let this go.”
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The story, however, is a reported summary of a phone conversation conducted with FBI officials who have access to Comey’s memos. The New York Times has not acquired the memos themselves; only other FBI officials have seen them.
Comey allegedly wrote the memo following a conversation with Trump on the day after Flynn resigned. The memos say Trump told Comey:
“I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
For now, the White House has denied the New York Times report in its entirety. In a statement reported by Politico, the White House said:
“While the President has repeatedly expressed his view that General Flynn is a decent man who served and protected our country, the President has never asked Mr. Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn. The President has the utmost respect for our law enforcement agencies, and all investigations. This is not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the President and Mr. Comey.”
Trump himself has not weighed in on the story to confirm or reverse the White House’s statement, as he has with this week’s revelation that he revealed sensitive intelligence to Russian diplomats.
Reaction to the New York Times report was swift, with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Republican members of Congress expressing unease and calling for Comey’s immediate testimony.
Speaker Ryan spox on Comey memo: "We need to have all the facts, & it is appropriate for the House Oversight Committee to request this memo"
— Alex Moe (@alexmoeflo) May 17, 2017
These serious allegations effect our nat'l security & they carry very real consequences. It's time for Comey to testify before Congress.
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) May 16, 2017
If recent allegations are true, they mark the beginning of a new and very sad chapter of scandal and controversy in our country.
— Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) May 16, 2017
Congressman Trey Gowdy's best defense of Trump: "We are a long way from conviction" pic.twitter.com/FmgixmDi8c
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) May 16, 2017
A friend of Comey’s told Politico that there may be much, much more than just this memo, which they called “rich in detail.” “There are other memos about his meetings too. He wrote down every word Trump said to him as soon as he could,” the friend said.
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