Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein — whose memo was initially used as justification for President Donald Trump fire FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday — will meet with all senators next week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday.
Trump’s decision to fire the head of the FBI while the agency is still investigating ties between his presidential campaign and Russia has sparked outrage and concern from many lawmakers. Adding to the confusion, the White House and the President have contradicted each other about why Comey was fired, and other reports emerged that Rosenstein threatened to quit amid the controversy.
After Comey’s firing on Tuesday, Democrats called for a special prosecutor to investigate Trump’s ties to Russia and suggested that the president could be engaging in a cover-up.
“We know the FBI has been looking into to whether the Trump campaign colluded the Russians,” Schumer said. “Were these investigations getting too close to home for the president?”
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But some Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were less upset. McConnell on Wednesday defended Trump’s decision to fire Comey, while other GOP lawmakers have expressed concern the saga could hamper their agenda.
With all the tension, the meeting between Rosenstein and the Senate could help shed some light on the situation and help lawmakers determine their next steps. Schumer said in his tweet Thursday that McConnell had agreed to “an all-Senators briefing” and the move was “a good first step.”
For his part, McConnell’s office confirmed that it is “working on scheduling a briefing for all members” from Rosenstein, according to Lisa Desjardins, a correspondent for PBS NewsHour.
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