Wasserman Schultz grills FBI chief over Russian hacking issue in closed-door meeting
The former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who was forced to step down last year over her own leaked emails grilled FBI Director James Comey Friday during a closed-door meeting on alleged Russian interference during the election, Fox News confirmed.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., served as chairwoman the for over five years but decided to step down in July amid fallout over leaked emails indicating an anti-Bernie Sanders bias in her operation.
The closed-door meeting included intelligence chiefs and members of Congress.
The Hill reported that it was tense. At one point, one Democrat yelled, “You let us down!”
The main question was why Comey withheld information about the hacking scandal from its members.
“Essentially Debbie asked, how was it that the FBI knew that the DNC was being hacked and they didn’t tell her? He gave some bulls-t explanation, ‘That’s our standard, we called this one, we called that one’ — [she said] ‘Well, why didn’t you call me?’ ” one Democrat told The Hill.
Wasserman Schultz said in a statement that she would not discuss what occurred in the classified meeting. Comey reportedly seemed “unflinching” and was criticized by Rep. Nancy Pelosi for being “condescending to members.”
President-elect Donald Trump was briefed last week on intelligence community findings about Russian hacking and other meddling during the campaign that allegedly included the breach and leak of emails from Democratic official accounts.
Some Democrats say the alleged influence benefitted Trump’s campaign. They are also bothered by Comey’s handling to the Clinton email probe and his announcement- 11 days before the election- to reopen the investigation.
Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, summed up the meeting: “Their questions and comments seemed to make the case that Hillary Clinton would be president if it were not for hacking.”