House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said he will move to hold FBI agent Peter Strzok in contempt after his refusal to answer just the first question asked during a joint House Judiciary and Oversight Committees.
The threat on Thursday came after House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-.S.C., asked Strzok to answer how many people the FBI interviewed in the first week of the bureau’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“Congressman, I would very much like to answer, the counsel of the FBI […] have directed me not to answer any questions related to Russia,” Strzok said.
WATCH: Congress descends into chaos after Trey Gowdy asks first question pic.twitter.com/J6gczglrEz
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 12, 2018
Strzok was involved in the launch of the Russia investigation in 2016 and was then was briefly detailed to special counsel Robert Mueller’s team. Mueller took over the investigation in May 2017.
Goodlatte said at the end of Thursday’s hearing, he will move to have Strzok recalled and held in contempt of Congress.
“Mr. Strzok, you are under subpoena and are required to answer the question,” Goodlatte said.
Strzok said he was not there because of a subpoena, but rather a voluntarily appearance. But a House Judiciary Committee aide told the Washington Examiner that GOP lawmakers believe Strzok to be at the hearing pursuant to a subpoena.
“Mr. Strzok is testifying before Congress today under subpoena and therefore he is required to answer all of the Committees’ questions unless he can cite a constitutional privilege that prevents him from answering. Chairman Goodlatte issued a subpoena for Mr. Strzok to testify before the Committees, which is in full force and effect,” the aide said in an email.
Last week, Strzok was subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee after his lawyer said the original July 10 date would not work. Late last month, Strzok testified before the two committees for 11 hours in a closed-door setting.
In a statement responding to the subpoena at the time, Strzok’s attorney Aitan Goelman said if the two committees “were actually interested in making sure the American people knew the truth, they would release the transcript of Pete’s previous testimony.”
Strzok had originally “requested that the initial hearing be public, and one way or another, he will testify publicly soon.”
Democrats have also demanded the transcript be released, calling the Strzok interviews as part of a “public charade.”
House Republicans indicated they are prepared the transcript under certain conditions, after Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., said he would release it himself.
Strzok was a top FBI agent on the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server and simultaneously served on the bureau’s Russia investigation. The 20-year FBI veteran was then detailed to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, as was former FBI attorney Lisa Page, but both were removed after their disparaging text messages about Trump came to light.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz criticized Strzok for bias in a lengthy report released earlier this month.
In August 2016 — days after the investigation began into Russian interference in the election and any potential connection to Trump’s campaign — Strzok texted Page that “we’ll stop” Trump from making it to the White House.
“[Trump’s] not ever going to become president, right? Right?!” Page wrote to Strzok.
“No. No he won’t. We’ll stop it,” Strzok responded.
Though the IG said he found no evidence that Strzok’s decision-making was skewed by his bias, he admitted he “did not have the confidence” that Strzok’s decision to prioritize the Russia investigation over the discovery of new Clinton emails on former New York congressman Anthony Weiner’s laptop was ”free from bias.” However, Horowitz found that the decisions made were investigative judgment calls, not politically biased ones.
Strzok strongly defended bias allegations Thursday.
