FBI director James Comey will be in the hot seat Monday facing lawmakers who accuse him of stonewalling Congress, as they demand answers about Donald Trump's potential Russia ties and the president's extraordinary accusation of wiretapping by his predecessor.
The two explosive issues have preoccupied Republicans and Democrats alike for weeks, robbing Trump's administration of a smoother rollout and raising uncomfortable questions about possible collusion between Trump associates and the Kremlin.
The stakes for the tycoon-turned-world-leader could hardly be higher. Comey will testify before the House Intelligence Committee at an open hearing aimed at investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election campaign.
FBI Director James Comey speaks at the Boston Conference on Cyber Security at Boston College in Boston, Massachusetts, US, March 8, 2017. /CFP Photo
National Security Agency director Michael Rogers is also scheduled to testify. The US intelligence community has publicly blamed Moscow for hacks of the Democratic National Committee last year, and suggested the cyber-attacks were aimed at steering the election to a Trump victory.
National Security Agency Director Adm. Michael Rogers testifies before the Senate (Select) Intelligence Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, January 10, 2017. /CFP Photo
Russia has denied involvement in the hacks. Several congressional panels have launched investigations into Russia's alleged interference, including House and Senate intelligence committees, which have jurisdiction over the nation's 17 intelligence agencies, and the House and Senate judiciary committees.
The FBI is also probing Russian interference in the election. The question remains whether the agency has opened a criminal investigation into possible ties between Trump campaign aides and Russian officials.
Monday's hearing promises to be a very public showdown between the FBI and lawmakers, with the national security world certain to watch whether Comey drops a political bombshell on Washington.
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(Source: AFP)
