U.S. Deputy Attorney General To Brief Senate On Comey Firing On May 18

Former FBI Director James Comey and U.S. President Donald Trump (composite file photo)

Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will conduct a closed-door briefing on May 18 for the full U.S. Senate on President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, senators said.

The top Democrat in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said on May 15 that she has asked for a similar briefing for House members.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said senators will use their briefing to get to the "full truth" about Comey's dismissal and to press Rosenstein to appoint a special prosecutor to look into allegations of Russian meddlng in the U.S. election.

Comey had led the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign.

Russia denies it sought to interfere in the election and Trump has dismissed the probe as "a hoax."

Democrats have been calling for a special prosecutor or select committee to investigate, saying getting to the bottom of foreign interference in the U.S. election is too important to leave to the partisan whims of the White House and Congress.

Some Republicans have also called for an independent investigation.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters