The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas for more than 50 individuals as Republicans ramp up their investigation into the 2016 Russia probe.…
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas for more than 50 individuals as Republicans ramp up their investigation into the 2016 Russia probe.
In a 12-10 party-line vote, Republicans on the panel gave Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S. C.) broad authority to subpoena the individuals, who include high-profile Obama administration officials, for interviews or documents tied to his investigation.
Graham, who has aligned himself closely with Trump in a year both are seeking reelection, has defended the probe, despite deep frustrations among members of the committee.
« I find myself in a position where I think we need to look long and hard about how the Mueller investigation got off the rails, » he said on Thursday. “This committee is not going to sit on the sidelines and move on.”
Graham is doing a broad investigation that includes probing « Crossfire Hurricane, » the name of the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference and the Trump campaign.
Thursday’s vote gives Graham the power to subpoena officials including former FBI Director James Comey, former national security advisor Susan Rice and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
He was also granted subpoena power to compel documents and records referenced in Justice Department inspector general Michael Horowitz’s review of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant applications related to former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, as well as testimony from anyone named in the report.
The vote also gives Graham authority to subpoena documents or testimony from « any current or former executive branch official or employee involved in, the Crossfire Hurricane investigation… or the receipt or analysis of reports prepared by Christopher Steele, » who compiled an infamous opposition research dossier against then-candidate Trump.
Democrats tried several times to amend the subpoena to include Trump allies and former aides, including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, former Trump campaign adviser Rick Gates, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort.
