Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley threatened to delay the confirmation of the deputy attorney general Wednesday if FBI Director James Comey did not deliver answers on the Russia investigation that the committee requested.
“Every time they come up here for their nomination hearing and I ask them are you going to answer phone calls and our letters and are you going to give us the documents you want? And every time we get a real positive yes! And then they end up being liars!” the Iowa Republican told The Washington Post.
According to The Post, he said he would delay consideration of deputy attorney general nominee Rod Rosenstein until the bureau responds to his committee’s demands.
“That seems to have gotten their attention,” he said.
Grassley was briefed and California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein told reporters they expected to be briefed behind closed doors Wednesday. Comey briefed Senate and House Intelligence Committee members earlier in the day.
An open House Committee hearing on the progress of the congressional investigation into the probe surrounding Russia’s influence operation in the last U.S. election will be held next Monday.