Former senior intelligence and FBI officials cooperating with the Justice Department's criminal investigation into whether former CIA Director John Brennan lied to Congress were subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in Washington, D.C., this week, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, CBS News reports.
The focus of the probe is on Brennan's 2023 testimony to Congress about the intelligence community's 2017 assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
Lawmakers led by House Republicans claim Brennan misrepresented the CIA's role in using the Steele dossier in that 2017 intelligence report.
The subpoenas went out to witnesses shortly after the DOJ appointed Joe diGenova to formally take over the criminal probe.
Brennan served as CIA director under President Barack Obama and was in that role when the intelligence community in January 2017 published an assessment detailing Russian interference aimed at helping President Donald Trump defeat Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.
An investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller concluded that Russia meddled on Trump's behalf and that his campaign welcomed the assistance, but it did not find sufficient evidence to prove a criminal conspiracy.
Trump and his allies call the whole Russia probe a hoax to undermine his presidency.
The Justice Department last year received a criminal referral from Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, alleging that Brennan made false statements before the panel in 2023 about the preparation of the intelligence community assessment. Brennan and his lawyers have vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
The investigation has been unfolding for months in Florida, with investigators having lined up interviews and issued subpoenas for records.
The latest subpoenas seek grand jury testimony in Washington, an indication that prosecutors expect they would have to bring any criminal case in Washington since that is where Brennan's testimony took place.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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