Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (July 11, 2018)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary, called for the release of the full unclassified transcript of the 11-hour, closed-door interview of FBI Agent Peter Strzok, which includes hundreds of questions by Republicans regarding Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing criminal investigation of President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“Despite repeated promises by Republicans that they would not interfere with the ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, they asked hundreds of questions during our recent interview of Peter Strzok demonstrating that their investigation has become exactly that—an attempt to obstruct Special Counsel Mueller’s work and act as President Trump’s defense counsel,” said Cummings. 

“We call on our Republican Chairmen to release the full unclassified transcript of Mr. Strzok’s interview so the American people can see for themselves what Republicans are doing with their hard-earned tax money.  This investigation is a political charade—a platform to elevate far-right conspiracy theories and undermine the Special Counsel’s ongoing criminal investigation of the President and his campaign aides, which has already produced five guilty pleas and criminal charges against 23 individuals and entities,” said Nadler.

Republicans promised repeatedly that they would not interfere in any way with Special Counsel Mueller’s ongoing criminal investigation:

• On December 6, 2017, Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy wrote that he “specifically communicated to Special Counsel Robert Mueller I would not wittingly or unwittingly interfere with an ongoing criminal probe.”

• On March 18, 2018, Gowdy declared on Fox News Sunday, “I don’t know what Mueller has found.  I’ve been really very clear, leave him alone.  Let him do his job.”

• On June 28, 2018, Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte stated that he and Gowdy “had no intention of interfering with the substantive investigation of Mr. Mueller.”

Republican Interview Questions—By The Numbers

Contrary to these promises, Republicans asked hundreds of questions during the interview of Peter Strzok regarding Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation, while essentially ignoring critical issues in desperate need of congressional oversight:

• The Special Counsel’s investigation of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign and the FBI’s  investigation into Russia’s interference with the election — more than 200 questions
• Russia’s actions to interfere with the election — fewer than 5 questions

• Agent Strzok’s conversations with the Special Counsel and his team — more than 30 questions
• President Trump’s conversations with Director Comey to stop or interfere with the investigation of his campaign — 0 questions

• Agent Strzok’s extramarital affair — more than 25 questions
• National security impact of Russia’s interference in the election — 0 questions

• FBI’s confidential human sources — 25 questions
• Risks to confidential human sources of Republican House investigations — 0 questions

• Agent Strzok’s voting practices — more than 10
• Russia’s actions regarding the upcoming 2018 elections — 0 questions

Examples of Republican Questions

Republican questions included a host of queries designed to identify confidential human sources currently being used in the ongoing investigation; questions about George Papadopoulos, Christopher Steele, Glenn Simpson, and Carter Page; questions about the classified FISA process; and even personal questions about Mr. Strzok’s extramarital affairs and how and when he voted:

• Rep. Meadows:  “In the month of July, was there any information from confidential human sources given to you as it relates to the Russia investigation?”
• Rep. Jordan:  “Did you ever talk to George Papadopoulos?”
• Rep. Jordan:  “I want to know when you first had access to the dossier and when you first looked at it.”
• Rep. Jordan:  “Do you ever communicate with Christopher Steele?”
• Rep. Jordan:  “Did you ever talk to Glenn Simpson?”
• Rep. Gowdy:  “Were you part of the preparation of an affidavit in support of a FISA application?”
• Rep. Gowdy:  “Did you consult with anyone who did help prepare it?”
• Rep. Jordan:  “And any—any timeframe reference you can give us on the FISA application that was taken to the court to get the warrant for Carter Page; how long did that one take to put together?  Was it a day, or was it a year?”
• Rep. Ratcliffe:  “I don’t mean to embarrass you, but is Lisa Page someone that you do or at some point in time did love?”
• Rep. Ratcliffe:  “So what I’m trying to establish through all of that is, was Lisa Page someone that you cared about deeply at the time you were sending these messages?”
• Rep. Gowdy:  “So it’s fair to say you were a Clinton supporter?”
• Rep. Goodlatte:  “Did you vote in the Presidential primary in 2016?” 
• Rep. Goodlatte:  “And which party did you cast a vote in?”