According to a breaking news report from the New York Times, just days before he was fired by President Trump, former FBI Director James Comey asked the Justice Department for a “significant increase” in funding and personnel for the bureau’s investigation into the Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election.
The Times’ report points out that Comey asked Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein for the resources. Rosenstein was reportedly the one who wrote the Justice Department memo that suggested Comey be fired.
Mr. Comey then briefed members of Congress on the meeting in recent days, telling them about his meeting with Mr. Rosenstein, who is the most senior law enforcement official supervising the Russia investigation. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from that inquiry because of his close ties to the Trump campaign and his undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador.
Justice Department spokesperson Sarah Isgur Flores disputed the Times report, saying that the claim Comey sought more funding was “totally false.”
The news also comes on top of reports that Federal prosecutors issued grand jury subpoenas in recent weeks to associates of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. According to CNN, the subpoenas represented “the first sign of a significant escalation of activity in the FBI’s broader investigation begun last July into possible ties between Trump campaign associates and Russia.”
Featured image: Tua Ulamac (Flickr)
