GOP senator wouldn’t be ‘surprised’ if Comey forced to cancel testimony

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Friday evening he wouldn’t be “surprised” if Robert Mueller, the special counsel appointed to oversee the federal Russia investigation, intervened to stop former FBI Director James Comey from publicly testifying on Capitol Hill.

Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the remark on Twitter shortly after criticizing Comey’s decision to not testify before his own panel. Comey has agreed to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is probing Russia’s election interference.

I wld not be surprised if the new Special Counsel Mueller stops Comey fr testifying b4 the Senate Intelligence Comm even tho Comey is wiling

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) May 20, 2017

{mosads}

The GOP chairman issued a statement earlier in the evening calling on Comey to consider his decision to not testify before the Judiciary Committee on the circumstances of his ouster as FBI chief early last week.

“We’re extremely disappointed in James Comey’s decision not to testify voluntarily before the Judiciary Committee,” Grassley and ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a statement. 

The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee announced Friday that Comey had agreed to testify as part of that panel’s probe into Russia’s interference in the election. No date has been set, but it is expected to be held after Memorial Day.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that he appreciated Comey’s willingness to testify before the intelligence panel but he was “surprised” he would be able to testify since Mueller was investigating conversations between Comey and President Trump. Graham also called for Comey to testify before the Judiciary Committee.

In other tweets on Friday evening, Grassley questioned who in the White House was “leaking info” from private meetings, remarking that “the FBI leaks like sieves” when concerning Trump.  

I want to know who the ppl r in the WH who r leaking info fr private meetings Private meetings r supposed to be private #POTUS

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) May 20, 2017

While I’m thinking of anti Trump leaking The FBI leaks like sieves abt this Trump stuff

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) May 20, 2017

FBI ppl w important info shld report it to Congress instead of leaking WBlower laws protect u We follow up facts Confidentiality protected

— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) May 20, 2017

Trump’s White House has been besieged by leaks in recent days as his administration has grappled with a number of controversies, including his sharing of highly classified information to Russian diplomats in a meeting last week and his abrupt decision to fire Comey.

Trump left Friday afternoon for his first foreign trip as president. The nine-day trip comes after a tumultuous two weeks in Washington, capped off with the appointment of a special counsel to lead the probe into his campaign ties to Russia.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Wednesday appointed Mueller, the longest serving FBI director since J. Edgar Hoover who was heralded by lawmakers from both parties, to oversee the Russia probe following Comey’s dismissal.