London [U.K.], May 21: The House Intelligence Committee has asked a former adviser to President Donald Trump, for a voluntary interview and documents in connection with the accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 elections.
On Saturday, Michael Caputo, a campaign aide to Trump for much of the presidential primary, was asked to submit to a voluntary interview with the committee and provide any documents requested, The Guardian reported.
The House Intelligence Committee, which is examining possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, made its request in a letter May 9.
It asked for "any documents, records, electronically stored information including email, communication, recordings, data and tangible things" that could "reasonably lead to the discovery of any facts within the investigation's publicly announced parameters".
Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Robert Mueller was appointed as a special counsel this week to investigate Trump's campaign and the Washington Post has reported that a current White House official is a person of interest in the ongoing investigation.
Rosenstein: Comey Routinely 'Usurped' the DOJ
He maintained that Comey's handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe was "wrong and unfair". A number of House members left Friday's briefing frustrated that they hadn't learned more.
He goes on to say, in the letter, that he contacted the Committee in March to request and opportunity to address the investigation.
The committee, which is looking into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow, wants to discuss: "Russian cyber activities directed against the 2016 US election, potential links between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns, the USA government's response to those Russian active measures, and related links of classified information". She mentioned his former work in Russia, his marriage to a Russian woman and his work for "Gazprom-Media to improve Putin's image in the United States".
Caputo, who was with the campaign for a few months as a communications adviser, had worked in Russian Federation in the 1990s and is said to know many officials in the Kremlin well.
A source close to the investigation says Caputo has responded to the committee, saying he had no contact with the Russian government during his six-month tenure with the campaign.
The letter also says that in 2013, Mr. Trump asked Caputo over a dinner conversation what it was like to live in Russian Federation.
Comments