Three congressional committees have been investigating Russia’s meddling in the 2016 elections for the last eight months, combing through thousands of documents, a torrent of leaks to the media, and dozens of interviews in public and behind closed doors.
But many key witnesses have yet to say a word to either the House or Senate Intelligence Committees, or the Senate Judiciary Committee. Their testimony could yet shape how the probes finish their work, although some of these key figures may never testify.
Here are the top remaining interviews the committees want, and many of the names who have already had their time in the hot seat.
STILL TO COME
Paul Manafort: The man who was the Trump campaign manager for roughly two months is still the major player that the committees want to interview. Reports emerged on Wednesday that Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Vice-Chair Dianne Feinstein had reached a deal to subpoena Manafort to testify in an open hearing, but those reports are based on sources, not on any announcement by the committee itself.
The special counsel’s investigation looks to be focusing on Manafort, especially when considering that they’ve conducted an early morning raid of Manafort’s home.
However, it’s precisely the high degree of focus by the Robert Mueller investigation that may make Manafort less likely to appear before any committee.
Mike Flynn: Flynn served just 24 days as national security advisor to the president, until a leaked transcript of a phone call between him and the former Russian ambassador created a controversy that helped push him out.
Just over two weeks ago, CNN reported that Flynn had refused a new request to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
CNN had also previously reported that the former general has thus far handed over more than 600 pages of documents to the Senate Intelligence Committee, and was facing subpoenas from the House Intelligence Committee for documents related to his business.
Like Manafort, Flynn’s jeopardy with the special counsel investigation could mean he’d refuse any opportunities to appear before a committee, either a chance to appear voluntarily, or a subpoena.
Michael Cohen: Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer long before the campaign ever began.
The attorney was scheduled to talk to the Senate Intelligence Committee this September, but the committee hastily scrubbed the interview after Cohen released to the media a scathing four pages of written remarks criticizing the Russia investigations which he intended to read at his appearance.
Cohen had been a minor figure in the investigations until emails were revealed showing he had been in communications about a potential Trump Tower-like project in Moscow in late 2015. Cohen confirmed the authenticity of the emails, and acknowledged that the Trump business organization had at one point signed a letter of intent to tentatively pursue the project and explore financing. But Cohen said the project essentially dissolved by February of 2016.
The Senate Intelligence Committee re-invited him to interview in October, and Cohen’s attorney confirmed to the Washington Examiner that he accepted the invitation.
Twitter and Facebook: Twitter spoke to both the House and Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, in a session that Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., characterized as “deeply disappointing.”
Media reports indicate the two social media giants will send representatives to appear in an open hearing with the Senate Intelligence Committee on November 1.
Sean Spicer: It’s far from clear if any of the congressional committees want to talk with Spicer. However, the former White House spokesman is said to have possibly caught the attention of investigators after it was revealed he took “copious notes” in his few months with the administration.
Carter Page: The Manhattan energy investor had a short tenure with the Trump campaign, but Democrat members of the House Intelligence Committee mentioned him numerous times in an open hearing in March, using the “Russian Dossier” as a basis.
Since then, Page has offered to talk to any committee, but told the Washington Examiner in June that he was being “completely blocked” from testifying.
ALREADY APPEARED
Jared Kushner: Advisor and son-in-law to Trump, Kushner appeared behind closed doors before both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees in July. However, the recent revelation that Kushner used a non-government account about 100 times from January to August while conducting government business has rekindled some interest around Kushner, raising the possibility he could be asked to interview again.
Fusion GPS’s Glenn Simpson: As the co-founder of the company that was responsible for the production of the so-called “Russian Dossier,” Simpson spoke with the Senate Judiciary Committee for several hours behind closed doors.
Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has shown more interest in getting to the bottom of how the dossier was assembled, and what its impact was as the Russia story was first emerging just after the election and in early 2016. And Grassley has indicated he’ll direct the committee to vote on whether to release the transcripts of Simpson’s interview.
The Washington Examiner has also reported extensively that the House Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed the FBI for documents about the dossier, but has been rejected thus far.
Donald Trump Jr.: President Trump’s son gave a closed-door interview to the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 7. The talk focused on Trump Jr.’s knowledge of a meeting that included Manafort and Kushner, in which they met with a Russian lawyer who had offered damaging information on Hillary Clinton.
Trump Jr., however, said the meeting was a waste of time, and that the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, tried to steer the conversation to other matters.
Samantha Power: Numerous media reports in late July said President Obama’s former ambassador to the UN was set to speak to both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. The House Intelligence Committee in particular has been interested in Power’s role in unmasking names in intelligence products.
Susan Rice: Like Power, Rice had knowledge of the unmasking of some names of Trump associates in intelligence products from foreign surveillance. Committee member Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., described Rice’s testimony as “consistent.”
Roger Stone: Stone was an advisor to the Trump campaign until August in 2016. He appeared before the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday. Afterwards, Stone ripped the panel, saying their questioning of him was a “political exercise.”
Michael Caputo: Caputo worked as an advisor in the Trump campaign until he stepped down after tweeting about the departure of Corey Lewandowski as campaign manager. He interviewed with the House Intelligence Committee in July. Since his interview, Caputo has asked that the transcripts of the meeting be published.
