Last week Politico reported that House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte had started the process to subpoena Peter Strzok, a former FBI agent who was previously removed from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Now it looks like the subpoena is not going to be necessary since Strzok wants to testify voluntarily. He “wants the chance to clear his name and tell his story,” according to his lawyer.
According to the Washington Post, Strzok’s attorney, Aitan Goelman, told Goodlatte via a letter made public today that a subpoena would not be necessary since Strzok is willing to testify voluntarily before the House Judiciary Committee and any other committee that asks. And he wants to do so without immunity or invoking his Fifth Amendment rights in response to any question.
Strzok has become a special target of Trump and was recently singled out in the IG report for harboring intense bias against President Donald Trump as a result of the discovery of private text messages. Goelman has pushed back after the IG report release, claiming that its findings were “critically flawed.”
The Hill reported that the anti-Trump messages discovered were exchanged between Strzok and Department of Justice lawyer Lisa Page in August 2016.
“[Trump’s] not ever going to become president, right? Right?!” Page asked via text to Strzok.
Strzok’s response: “No. No he won’t. We’ll stop it.”
With the new information that Strzok is willing to speak openly, Goelman says his client will have an opportuntiy to clear up misperceptions. According to Goelman, “[Strzok] thinks that his position, character and actions have all been misrepresented and caricatured, and he wants an opportunity to remedy that.”
Former FBI, who has been a special target of Trump for anti-Trump messages who wants to testify without immunity or invoking any Fifth Amendment Rights?!! Sounds like this is going to be awesome! I can hardly wait!!
