WASHINGTON (CN) – On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for memos written by former FBI director Andrew McCabe.
The memos are highly coveted by the Republican-led committee after news reports emerged last week alleging Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein secretly discussed wiretapping President Donald Trump due to his concerns the president was not fit for office.
Rosenstein later vehemently denied the claims as well as allegations that he wished to invoke the 25th Amendment against Trump which could trigger the president’s possible removal.
Republicans on the committee argue the McCabe memos could offer insight into conversations the former FBI director had with Rosenstein - and the president - around the same time.
In a letter submitted to Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday, Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Virginia, said the subpoena was only necessary because the Justice Department “refused to produce or has continually delayed producing” the memos the committee has requested since last year.
The committee also seeks records related to the “Gang of Eight,” or those congressional leaders who are briefed on intelligence matters related to the Executive Branch.
Those documents, Goodlatte wrote Thursday, were “essential” to the House Judiciary and House Oversight committees’ investigation regarding the FBI’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election.
The department has until October 4 to respond to the subpoena.
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to request for comment late Thursday afternoon.
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