Republicans wanted to to use FBI agent Peter Strzok's testimony on Capitol Hill to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, according to Rep. Eric Swalwell, who argued during the hearing that President Donald Trump's former aide Steve Bannon should also be subpoenaed.
"The Republicans didn't show up yesterday to hear the answers," the California Democrat told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
Swalwell said he asked that Bannon be brought in, because he was under subpoena when he testified before the House Intelligence Committee and refused to answer questions about his involvement with Russians during Trump's campaign.
""He refused to answer, and he was never brought in for contempt proceedings, as was threatened with Mr. Strzok," said Swalwell.
"I wanted to be sure the public saw the deep, deep inconsistency, which I think illustrates this is all an effort to protect the president and nothing more than that, when our ballot box and our democracy needs more protecting than ever."
He said he does not think Republicans accomplished what they'd sought with the hearing, but instead took one step back.
"When you put it in a greater perspective, President Trump attacked [former FBI Director] James Comey and Peter Strzok repeatedly throughout the investigation, but those two have put their right hands up and gone under oath to talk about their involvement in the Russia investigation," said Swalwell.
"That distinguishes them from him. Let's see if he's willing to do the same and talk with Bob Mueller."
Swalwell, though, admitted that he did not like the fact that Strzok had been exchanging texts criticizing Trump with FBI attorney Lisa Page, with whom he was romantically involved.
"I don't like that he was talking that way because we want FBI agents to be sort of above the politics and not have the perception of impropriety," said the congressman.
However, Strzok was not the sole decision maker to close the investigation into Hillary Clinton or to open the Trump investigation, Swalwell said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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