FBI Director James Comey asked the Justice Department for more resources for the agency’s investigation into Russian meddling of the US election and ties to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, just the week before the President fired him.
Comey told the heads of the Senate intelligence committee that he went to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein last week and pushed for more resources to be devoted to the Russia investigation, according to two sources familiar with the discussion.
Justice Department spokesperson Sarah Flores denies Comey asked Rosenstein for more resources. She called reporting to the contrary “100% false,” and told reporters she spoke directly with Rosenstein about the reports.
Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia met Monday with Comey and urged him to speed up the Russia investigation. Comey acknowledged in this discussion that things were moving slowly.
Before Rosenstein, Comey had been working with the acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente. Comey’s requests for resources was first reported by The New York Times.