House panels subpoena FBI agent

FBI agent Peter Strzok, a central target of allegations by President Donald Trump and his allies of investigative bias and misconduct, has been subpoenaed to appear for closed-door questioning before two House committees.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican and the Judiciary Committee’s chairman, said Strzok has been ordered to appear before members of both the Judiciary and the Oversight and Government Reform committees on Wednesday as part of their investigation “into decisions made by the Department of Justice in 2016.”

The subpoena announcement, issued Friday evening, said Strzok had yet to appear before the committees, despite repeated requests. Strzok is to sit for a deposition.

Strzok had already emailed Goodlatte through his lawyer last weekend, saying he would voluntarily appear.

In a statement Friday night, the lawyer, Aitan Goelman, said, “We regret that the Committee felt it necessary to issue a subpoena.”

Trump and his supporters have accused the FBI and the Justice Department of using their powers to undermine his administration.

The focus on Strzok, who became a public face of the allegations, has grown even more intense with the release by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz of his long-awaited report on the Hillary Clinton email inquiry.