House committee wants Comey to testify about Trump, Russia probe

The House Oversight Committee wants former FBI director James Comey to testify before the committee in a public hearing next week.

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Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Chaffetz wrote in a tweet that Comey will be invited to a hearing scheduled for May 24.

Chaffetz, R-Utah, said Wednesday afternoon that he had yet to issue the invitation because Comey "evidently has a new (number)." An aide told The Hill that Chaffetz was not immediately able to connect with the former FBI director.

The hearing is expected to look specifically at whether President Donald Trump attempted to influence the bureau’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and possible ties to Trump.

The request was made after The New York Times reported that Comey detailed in a memo a conversation he had with Trump a day after former national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign. The conversation took place after the FBI launched its investigation into ties between Russia and Trump and his advisers.

>> Related: Report: Trump asked Comey to drop Flynn investigation

Flynn was 24 days into his role when reports surfaced that he had lied to Vice President Mike Pence about his contact with the Russian ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.

"I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go," Mr. Trump told Comey, according to the memo. "He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go."

The White House has denied that Trump attempted to influence the investigation.

Multiple investigations are ongoing into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.

>> Related: Paul Ryan on Russia investigation: ‘We need the facts’

The Senate Intelligence Committee sent a letter Wednesday asking Comey to testify in both open and closed sessions. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee also planned to ask Comey to testify, The Hill reported.

Dates were not immediately set for those meetings.

In his role as chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Chaffetz on Tuesday requested "all memorandum, notes, summaries and recordings referring or relating to any communications between Comey and the President" in a letter addressed to acting FBI director Andrew McCabe.

Authorities have not provided evidence that Trump's campaign staff colluded with Russia to win the presidential election.

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