Reports: CIA denies Senate Judiciary access to material on Russian interference

The CIA has allegedly rejected the Senate Judiciary Committee’s request to access certain information about Russian interference in last year’s election.

“We were turned down,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the panel, according to Monday reports.

{mosads}Feinstein called the agency’s decision a disappointment, but said the “issue isn’t finished.”

Panel Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Feinstein had asked CIA Director Mike Pompeo to view the same material related to the ongoing Russia probe that the agency had shared with the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The CIA ultimately declined the request of leaders of Judiciary panel. 

Feinstein said the documents relate to matters of obstruction of justice, which fall within the panel’s jurisdiction.

Both the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary committees have signaled an interest in social media companies’ possible role in pushing messages planted by foreign agents who aimed to sway the election. 

“There should be a hearing on this issue, because it relates directly to our oversight of the Department of Justice and the FBI, and these ads raise profound and pressing questions that have to be explored so the public is aware of this threat,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Judiciary panel, according to Politico.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is also leading an independent investigation on behalf of the Justice Department in addition to several congressional panels who are looking into where and how Russia meddled in the presidential election.