WASHINGTON — Vermont’s senior senator joined other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in calling for public testimony from top Trump campaign figures about Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., signed a letter with eight other Democrats on the committee Wednesday, urging Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to hold a public hearing to allow the panel to question witnesses, including President Donald Trump’s son and son-in-law.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking Democrat on the committee, has previously called for public hearings in the panel’s probe of Russian involvement in the election.
Grassley said at a January committee meeting that he would release transcripts of closed-door interviews the committee staff has done with top figures. But Democrats on the committee say that is not sufficient.
“Committee members have long been led to believe that they would have the chance to question witnesses directly — to follow up on the many questions raised by the staff interviews and to ensure that witnesses testify publicly under oath,” the senators wrote.
The Democrats specifically want to publicly question Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner about a June 9, 2016, meeting at Trump Tower that involved a lawyer with ties to the Russian government.
Trump Jr. appeared before committee staff last year, but, the senators wrote, he has not provided documents the committee requested.
Kushner has refused to come in for an interview with committee staff, according to the senators. They also said he has not provided documents the panel requested.
Kushner, they wrote, was a “key participant” in the meeting “and his testimony is essential to achieve a full understanding” of that and other events.
While Kushner has appeared before other congressional committees, the senators argued it is important for him to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, specifically.
The efforts of other committees, they wrote, “in no way eliminate our right and responsibility to do our job.”
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee leadership did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
