House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, requested that Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz broaden the ongoing investigation into the FBI's handling of Hillary Clinton's emails in the lead up to the 2016 election to also include President Trump's recent firing of former FBI Director James Comey.
"I request that you expand the scope of your office's ongoing review of allegations regarding certain actions by the Department of Justice and the FBI in advance of the 2016 election to include the facts and circumstances surrounding the removal of Director Comey," Chaffetz wrote in the letter.
In January, the inspector general opened the investigation into the Clinton email probe and Horowitz had said that he would expand the scope of the investigation "if circumstances warrant," according to CNN.
"The recommendation to remove Comey indeed warrants such consideration," Chaffetz wrote.
"You stated previously that your work includes an examination of whether Comey's public communications and notifications to Congress about the Clinton investigation comported with Justice Department and FBI policies and procedures," Chaffetz said. "You separately stated 'if circumstances warrant, the OIG will consider including other issues that may arise during the course of the review."
Trump's firing of Comey came as a shock to many, and the president justified his decision by saying he received recommendations from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who had felt that Comey's handling of the investigation into Clinton's emails was improper. Rosenstein threatened to resign from his post after the White House had pinned the decision on him.
[jwplayer file="http://media.salon.com/2017/05/e42f0dcf8fac45f75b3b934c22625ce91.mp4" image="http://media.salon.com/2017/05/4e331f054e3d19c5797bad2dc81758b0_11.jpg"][/jwplayer]
Shares