- The Washington Times - Monday, May 15, 2017

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will brief senators behind close doors on Thursday, giving lawmakers a chance to prod the man who’s now at the forefront of the firing of FBI Director James B. Comey and the ongoing probe into Trump campaign figures’ dealings with Russia.

The meeting had been sought by Democrats as one of their demands after President Trump’s move to fire Mr. Comey last week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed to issue the invitation, and said Monday that Mr. Rosenstein has accepted.

Mr. Rosenstein is the point man at the Justice Department for the FBI’s probe into Russian activities during last year’s campaign, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself.

But after Mr. Rosenstein signed a memo last week helping justify the ouster of Mr. Comey, Democrats said he had tainted himself and said a special prosecutor must be named to oversee the probe. That decision to name a prosecutor would rest with Mr. Rosenstein, but Democrats said it now should be made by the senior career lawyer at the department.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, who led the push for the meeting, said Monday that they will use the briefing to press Mr. Rosenstein “to make way for a special prosecutor.”

Democrats have also demanded that any audio recordings of Mr. Trump’s meetings with Mr. Comey be released.

Mr. Trump last week hinted that Mr. Comey should hope there aren’t any recordings of a meeting they had in the Oval Office. The White House later wouldn’t confirm whether Mr. Trump was recording that meeting or others.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.

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