Commission. [inaudible conversations] the Judiciary Committee will come to order we are authorized to declare a recess at the time. Welcome to this mornings hearing on the oversight hearing with Deputy Attorney general rosenstein. I will recognize myself for an opening statement. They give for appearing for the first line in front of this committee will afford to your testimony and answers your questions. As chairman with primary oversight over the fbi and department of justice i have supported the department and the fbi and performing their valuable missions to keep our nation safe and to hold individuals accountable for criminal conduct. Yet i and many on the committee find ourselves in a difficult position to question the actions of prior in Current Department fbi leadership for the of a unique role of the department of justice you appointed special counsel director mueller so it is appropriate to its our questions related to the scope of the special kills the investigation. As well as the efficacy in light of various events calling into question the impartiality. For reports of the political predisposition and the bias of career agents on special counsel director comey is deeply troubling that expect us system of the identical justice the department of justice investigation must not be tainted imposing their own political prejudices were now beginning to better understand the magnitude of the insider buying iselin director comey. First to the fbi agent struck and were pages exchanging communications and showing extreme bias against President Trump. If not for the fact that they were employed as part of the dream Team Investigating the very person they were showing disdain. Calling up near the stage is generous. According to the documents produced classmate and referring to the president as an utter idiot and a los subhuman an awful while continually breezy and Hillary Clinton and the obama is this proves what we all suspected highranking fbi officials involved in the clinton and investigation were personally invested in the outcome of the election. This was only the initial disclosure containing hefty reduction and second the fbi council expressed his off of a former official to shun the of president failing to faithfully execute the law but however now we are in awe that somebody like him remains an Investigative Team that looks more and more partisan. Third we have learned a the prosecutors in addition to new the other actions serves as an attorney for the Clinton Foundation our department of justice attorneys we are to avoid the appearance of impropriety but a former clinton employee is out investigating President Trump this is the very definition of the appearance of impropriety. Fourth we have recently learned and other top Department Justice official has been reassigned because of his connections with the intimist dossier in the company with whom the document originated. We hope to hear your assessment of the of conflicts with individuals are held accountable and if you so have confidence that you need and supervise. Regarding that email scandal you along with attorney general sessions have to decline to appoint a second council. Handling of clinton email investigation so these are the important issues on which we will focus on today we want to understand your participation and departments involvement with both investigations than mr. Deputy attorney general rosenstein the department of justice reputation as an impartial arbiter of justice is called into question this politicalization should concern all americans while we continue to calling you to appoint a Second Special counsel we have opened our own joint investigation to review fbi and department of justice handling of the clinton email investigation. Thank you and attorney general sessions for the documents for a robust oversight of this matter i implore you to continue to work with us live these and other port matters be seeing our nation involving a Critical Program for National Security fisa section seven 02 passing by overwhelming bipartisan basis the usa liberty act that it maintains the program of protecting a cherished lit so liberties. Despite the lobbying efforts against doorbell usa liberty act was characterized as bad for the program and highly problematic unworkable that would dismantle fisa 702 however but the Committee Legislation struck a balance to promote National Security and Civil Liberties i hope to hear from you by the departed justice felt it necessary to reauthorize and fisa 702 to instill confidence that their privacy and Civil Liberties are respected by a government whose duty it is to protect them. The department of justice must acquire the rest of the American People there are thousands of department of justice employees and agents in the bureau of investigations better dedicated individuals to upholding the rule of law and protecting the American People. I hope we can come to a conclusion for those that have not met that standard now i yield to the gentleman from new york. [inaudible] let me endorse the comments of the chairman of fisa 702 that we reported on this committee from the democratic whip in of this committee the colleagues have passed beacon been hearing regarding the serious incredible allegations of Sexual Harassment leveled against President Trump as 19 women i ask that this is part of the record. And i am unequivocably endorsing we should convene this hearing and still at as soon as possible that this behavior is unacceptable at any level of government. Mr. Deputy attorney general rosenstein over year we have implored the committee to conduct real oversight of the department of justice. January 24th, 2017 insisting the committee whole hearing at the trump conflict of interest at home and abroad. Citing experts across the political spectrum that the administrations attempt to address ongoing conflict of interest was fully inadequate. And then to recuse himself from the Russian Investigation we have not had a single hearing on the question of conflict of interest on march 8 encouraging to call hearings unless there was an interference. And again no such hearings were held in fact, the Obama Administration hold hearings over fast imperious and with director comey three times and the resources until four weeks ago was silent in terms of oversight. Had not lifting a finger on security and attorney general sessions has done nothing to secure the next election from threats at home and abroad. While the hurricane was it houston President Trump sidelining the attorney to pardon a human rights abuser who bragged about writing a concentration camp in arizona. And with that obstruction of justice not because of lack of evidence but a special counsel plays examining the issue and several other committees are looking into the matter and it doesnt have the time to conduct critical oversight. Give those excuses in mind for now with the year coming to a close the leadership what do the colleagues want to discuss . Clintons emails. Let me repeat that. With these unresolved issues a week before readdress the calendar year is clintons emails and related Text Messages. And in failing that to investigate those investigators themselves. And then to investigate the fbi i understand the instinct to change the subject but this request is misguided for a number of reasons for the first to choose a fundamental misunderstanding of how regulations work because is a conflict of interest because of the attorney general ongoing recusal Department Leadership and in case is like these have a special counsel to manage the investigation outside of the ordinary chain of command but that criminal investigation they cannot simply assign a special counsel there has to be enough evidence predicate for criminal investigation in the first place then can they be assigned to the case and so far there is no critical credible anybody is saying that the department of justice violated any law by presiding not to bring charges to a Hillary Clinton and in other words, there is no investigation to which they can even designed a new special counsel. A list of grievances also seems off the mark for example, there is nothing unlawful about director comey sitting down to draft an early statement about the current investigation nor would that be unethical to outline those investigation of the clear weight points in that direction and the least once page was done in a 300 of orr Text Messages we received last night in fact, that expressly permits that type of private communication and i am left with two dots. First modestos anything that the majority of americans were not thinking at the same time so as a testament to Situational Awareness the office of the Inspector General made him aware of these exchanges he immediately removed him from the case to the extent of political bias this committee should examine the coordinated effort to the Sensitive Information about the new emails after the investigation and on monday the Ranking Member and i asked for additional materials related to the leaks as well as to the claims that these efforts may have been coordinated with mayor guiliani former National Security adviser flan and other senior officials. Also the president s investigation at best is wildly dangerous to the Democratic Institutions on the one hand it seems quaint after a couple of guilty pleas but the president s continued threats is something that we dont do here if the president were to carry out his threat it would be like a Banana Republic and finally this investigation cannot credibly be a priority at this time. I ender stand the instinct that they turn the tables on the special counsel is more frantic as the walls continue to close in but this committee has a job to do President Trump does engage in a death threat in effort on the free press and the department of justice there under our jurisdiction with the majority waste that is a net loss finding a solution or curbing a vicious fight or from those from purchasing firearms are stopping the president from further damaging that Constitutional Order i hope my colleagues have the hearing as an opportunity to find their way back to the house Judiciary Committee and i yield back the balance of my time. We welcome our distinguished witnesses will swear you in. Do you solemnly swear the testimony youre about to give is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . The witness answered in the affirmative Deputy Attorney general rosenstein sworn in as the 307th attorney general by richard a. General Jeff Sessions he has had a distinguished career in Public Service to began his legal career in the Public Integrity section in the Criminal Division and later served as counsel to the of Deputy Assistant general for the tax division until has applied in the President TrumpDeputy Attorney general rosenstein were 12 years as the United States attorney for the district of maryland has a bachelors degree it economics from wharton and j. D. From harvard. Please summarize your testimony in five minutes were pleased to have real. Members of a the committee thank you for the opportunity with the department of justice i appreciate your support and concern several if you are alumni of the department and to review serve alongside me as United States attorneys and his Deputy Attorney general my job is to help the attorney general manage the components including those litigating divisions 94 erg u. S. Attorneys offices the bureau of fire arms alcohol and the office of Justice Programs federal bureau of prisons and the office of Inspector General and 115,000 employees tens of thousands of contractors stationed every state and territory in foreign nations. Illegal Drug Distribution child abuse and civilrights violations with threats to the American People. Enforced tax laws, antitrust law and environmental laws to represent the United States the Supreme Court, courts of appeals and territorial courts federal judges and federal prisons from all applications oversee the bankruptcy system to assist the tribal governments adjudicate those cases and we also support state and local lawenforcement. To resolve those foreign claims so we collect and analyze and disseminate information to perform countless other functions for the American People the department of justice employees are united by ash and understanding that to pursue justice preserve government property, defend civil rights and promote the rule of law. The mission attractive lawenforcement but the people who carry out that mission are what i treasured most about my job, very few exceptions, honorable and principled and trustworthy. America federal state local lawenforcement agencies are more important today than ever to scrutiny and external agencies increase accountability and more likely to discover it. Critical to building and maintaining confidence best spoken with thousands of employees to run the country and i remind them that justice is not only in our name but our mission. That requires a fair and impartial process that is why we have a special responsibility to follow ethical and professional standards. 1941 attorney general jackson said buses and safety lies in up prosecutor that seeks the truth of the victims and the approaches the task with humidity utility. Attorney general sessions an experienced team under President Trump said department of justice is working tirelessly to project american citizen is to uphold the rule of law. Today i afford to discussing important work with the example set with department of justice officials really seek to accommodate congressional oversight request of protecting the integrity of investigations preserving the independence to safeguard Sensitive Information. They give mr. Chairman alec forward to your question. I will start by recognizing myself last week director ray said the normal procedures were not followed an investigation of former secretary clinton email server and it was not normal protocol to have with this is it in the room during the interview of the target of investigations as director general determines that was not followed or it was closed for tainted for political purposes, would that be a justification to reopen the investigation . Mr. Chairman we are anticipating the outcome of that investigation this has been ongoing i am hopeful the will be included concluded the next couple months and when we get those results will take action i dont know what it will be that it is always appropriate force to review the findings of impropriety to take appropriate action. When you announced your decision to terminate the employment of fbi director comey the decision that you announced saab practices that i took it to mean that you thought were inappropriate actions on the part of the former director. Do you think those actions on his part would merit further investigation how that matter was conducted . As you are aware, of the Inspector General is conducting an investigation into the handling of that. And i believe part of that investigation it is not an official finding of misconduct that is the special counsels job but as you pointed out my views about it. Are you aware of prior efforts by the committee to unduly restrict the Intelligence Community to do is job to protect National Security . Im not personally aware, no sir. Are you where this has primary oversight due to fisa over the constitutional and legal questions of government surveillance . Mr. Chair, i respect the congresss decision of oversight. Given the you understand the jurisdiction the your providing with the tools that it needs, why would we attempt to dismantle section fisa 702 of foremost importance Surveillance Program . I hope we made a case in the department has its own opinion about the reauthorization we think it is critically important to respect their differences of opinion but that is section fisa 702. We agreed it is essential it is also essential that the Civil Liberties of american citizens be protected in the standard be imposed on the examination of u. S. Citizens incidentally as a part of the of program with the surveillance of non u. S. Citizens incidentally gathering information right u. S. In th