Comey demands public hearing after House subpoena

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Former FBI director James Comey and former attorney general Loretta Lynch have been subpoenaed to testify before Congress next month before Republicans relinquish control of the House.

Comey confirmed he had received a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee but said he would resist if made to answer questions behind closed doors.

"I'm still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions," he said on his Twitter account. "But I will resist a 'closed door' thing because I've seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let's have a hearing and invite everyone to see."

Twitter Screenshot

Lynch, who served under former president Barack Obama, did not immediately comment, but copies of the subpoenas made public on Thursday show she was summoned to testify on December 4. Comey was ordered to appear before the committee on December 3.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Comey and Lynch of covering for Hillary Clinton in an investigation into her use of a private server for emails while she was secretary of state.

He has often leveled charges of bias in countering a probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into whether the Trump campaign colluded with a Russian effort to sway the 2016 elections in the Republican's favor.

Clinton, the Democratic candidate, lost the election despite winning the popular vote.

The chairman of the House Judiciary Bob Goodlatte is reported to have indicated earlier this week he planned to force Comey and Lynch to testify on political bias at the Justice Department before Democrats take over leadership of the House in January.

Then Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton departs the stage following the third US presidential debate with then Republican nominee Donald Trump in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 19, 2016. /VCG Photo

Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that Trump wanted to order the Justice Department to prosecute Clinton and Comey in the spring, but his White House counsel rebuffed him.

Don McGahn, the White House counsel at the time, wrote a memo to the president outlining consequences for Trump if he did order the prosecutions.

The outcomes ranged from the traditionally independent Justice Department refusing to comply, to congressional probes and voter outcry, the Times reported.

The newspaper also reported Trump's lawyers privately asked the Justice Department to investigate Comey for mishandling sensitive government information and his role investigating Clinton's use of a private email account and server, but law enforcement officials declined.

Source(s): AFP ,Reuters