Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has asked the FBI for copies of memos that may exist documenting conversations former director James Comey had with his superiors in the Trump administration.
That follows reports suggesting the president may have tried to influence an FBI probe.
The New York Times reports that Comey created memos regarding his interactions with the president, documenting what he perceived as improper efforts to influence an ongoing investigation.
We need to get the facts out in the open. -Sen. Grassley
Ongoing investigations include a probe of possible Russian collaboration with the Trump campaign to influence the 2016 election.
Grassley says the New York Times report underscores the need to get a better understanding of why Comey was fired.
“We need to get the facts out in the open,” Grassley said in a conference call with Iowa reporters. “We can't rely on selective leaks and reports.”
Grassley and fellow members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary committee sent a letter to the FBI requesting any documentation of any interaction between Comey and Trump and his top Justice Department officials about the probe of Russian interference, as well as the investigation into the Clinton e-mails.
The letter also requests documentation from the FBI regarding communications with the Obama administration.
In a separate letter to the White House, Grassley and his colleagues request copies of any documents
We can't rely on selective leaks and reports. -Sen. Grassley
regarding conversations or meetings with Comey, as well as any audio recording that may exist.
On May 12th, the president tweeted that Comey “better hope there are no tapes” of a conversation.
The letter from the senators to White House Counsel Donald McGahn, seeks “all White House records memorializing interactions with Mr. Comey relating to the FBI’s investigation of alleged ties between President Trump’s associates and Russia, or the Clinton email investigation, including all audio recordings, transcripts, notes, summaries, or memoranda.”
Last week, Senator Grassley had downplayed concerns about Comey’s firing, telling those worried to “suck it up.”
