Rare Public Hearing to Seek FBI, NSA Answers on Trump, Russia, Leaks

FBI Director James Comey speaks during a ceremony to open the new FBI Boston Field Office in Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S., March 7, 2017. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

WASHINGTON—The directors of the FBI and National Security Agency will break their public silence on Monday about investigations into alleged links between Russia and President Donald Trump’s election campaign at a rare open congressional intelligence committee hearing.

Representatives Devin Nunes, chairman of the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Adam Schiff, the panel’s top Democrat, have called FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers to testify about allegations that Russia meddled in the U.S. election.

Other congressional committees also are investigating the matter, mostly behind closed doors. Still, amid a furor over whether Moscow tried to influence the 2016 presidential race on Trump’s behalf, lawmakers said they would make public as much of their probes as possible.

Russia denies attempting to influence the Nov. 8 presidential election.

U.S. National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on foreign cyber threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 5, 2017. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Many Democrats also are deeply unhappy with Comey for his handling of an inquiry into Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, especially as he issued statements about it shortly before Election Day.

When asked what the committee expects from the hearing, Jack Langer, a spokesman for Nunes, gave a substantial list.

“We’re expecting directors Comey and Rogers to shed light on Russia’s active measures undertaken during the 2016 election campaign, the U.S. government’s response, the compilation of the Intelligence Community’s Jan. 6 report on these events, and on related questions concerned possible surveillance on Trump campaign associates and on possible leaks of classified information,” he said.

The Senate Intelligence Committee has announced a public hearing for March 30. The witness list, titled “Disinformation: A Primer on Russian Active Measures and Influence Campaign,” does not yet include any government officials.

The House committee will hold a second public hearing on March 28 with former U.S. officials, including Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan.

Epoch Times contributed to this report.