Peter Strzok testifying before the House Judiciary and Oversight Committee
In a scathing letter to the House Judiciary Committee obtained by the Washington Examiner, Aitan Goelman, the attorney for Peter Strzok, slams certain Republican lawmakers for behavior that "has transcended the bounds of decency, civility and fair dealing, even for this deeply divided political era."
Strzok gave a closed-door, transcribed interview to the House Judiciary and Oversight committees last Wednesday, after offering to testify publicly. That 10-plus-hour interview occurred after a subpoena was issued by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. - even though Strzok had said he would appear voluntarily.
"Having sharpened their knives behind closed doors, the committee would now like to drag back Special Agent Strzok and have him testify in public - a request that we originally made and the committee denied," Goelman wrote. "What's being asked of Special Agent Strzok is to participate in what anyone can recognize as a trap."
Goelman said that Strzok will not accept an invitation to testify publicly on July 10.
Following the Wednesday interview, Goodlatte told reporters there would be a public hearing "soon," and Democrats immediately demanded the transcript.
Goelman also demanded the testimony be released.
"Pete, more than anyone, wants full transparency around the examination of his work. The Committee denied his request for a public hearing and for the release of the full transcript. We ask again that the Committee release the full, unclassified transcript instead of leaking selective excerpts designed to further a partisan agenda," Goelman said in a statement Thursday.
Goelman said that Strzok may appear before another congressional committee. House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has invited Strzok to appear as part of the Democrats' effort to continue the panel's Russia investigation.
"The Committee's desire to place political grandstanding over justice is further evidenced by its insistence that Pete speak to no other committee until it has finished with him. Given that the Committee has proven it is playing political games, violating both our trust and its own rules, it no longer makes sense for us to keep playing along," Goelman wrote.
Goelman added: "[Strzok] is willing to testify again, and he is willing to testify publicly. Any suggestion that he is trying to avoid doing so is an outright lie. He might even be willing to testify publicly before this Committee. But not under conditions that are so obviously designed to embarrass and trap an honorable man who has spent 25 years serving his country in the military and in law enforcement."
Goelman's letter echoed Democrats' accusations that Republicans repeatedly cut off Strzok during his testimony and asked him unserious question, including, "What DO Trump supporters smell like, agent?", "Did you love Lisa Page?", and "Which party primary did you vote in in 2016?"
Strzok was a top FBI agent on the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server and simultaneously served on the bureau's Russia investigation. The 20-year FBI veteran was then detailed to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, as was former FBI attorney Lisa Page, but both were removed after their disparaging text messages about Trump came to light.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz criticized Strzok for bias in a lengthy report released earlier this month.
In August 2016 - days after the investigation began into Russian interference in the election and any potential connection to Trump's campaign - Strzok texted Page that "we'll stop" Trump from making it to the White House.
"[Trump's] not ever going to become president, right? Right?!" Page wrote to Strzok.
"No. No he won't. We'll stop it," Strzok responded.
Though the IG said he found no evidence that Strzok's decision-making was skewed by his bias, he admitted he "did not have the confidence" that Strzok's decision to prioritize the Russia investigation over the discovery of new Clinton emails on former New York congressman Anthony Weiner's laptop was "free from bias."
However, Horowitz found that the decisions made were investigative judgment calls, not politically biased ones.
A House Judiciary Committee aide told the Washington Examiner on Monday that the panel did not deny any request for an open hearing.
The aide said the committee made it "very clear" to Goelman that they also wanted Strzok to be part of a public hearing following a closed, transcribed interview.
Comment: If it was a trap, Strzok walked into it, and didn't do himself any favors: