Yesterday during testimony in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, former FBI Director James Comey admitted to giving his memos about conversations with President Donald Trump to a "close friend."
That friend, Columbia Law Professor Daniel Richman, then sent the memos to the New York Times where reporters published a story alleging President Trump asked Comey to drop the FBI's investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. The President and the White House deny such a request was ever made.
"I didn't do it myself for a variety of reasons, but asked him to, because I thought that it might prompt the appointment of a Special Counsel. I asked a close friend of mine to do that," Comey said.
Now, the Senate Judiciary Committee is knocking on Richman's door and asking for the memos.
"Mr. Comey’s memoranda are relevant to the Judiciary Committee’s ongoing investigative efforts. Mr. Comey himself has encouraged you to release them. Accordingly, we ask that you provide the Committee copies of all memoranda you received from Mr. Comey by no later than June 9, 2017. If you received the memoranda in electronic format, we request that you provide them to the Committee in the same file type you received," a letter signed by Senators Grassley, Whitehouse, Feinstein and Graham sent late Thursday evening.
Previously, Comey refused to turn over the memos to a number of congressional committees when asked to do so. House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz requested the memos in May and threatened to issue a subpoena if they weren't voluntarily turned over.
.@GOPoversight is going to get the Comey memo, if it exists. I need to see it sooner rather than later. I have my subpoena pen ready.
— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) May 16, 2017