Justice Department responds to Trump demands

FBI and Justice Department officials have agreed to meet with congressional leaders to respond to demands for information about a confidential source in the 2016 Trump presidential campaign. The New York Times reported last week that an FBI informant had contact with Trump campaign officials before the 2016 election to question them about their relationships with Russia. The source reportedly asked Trump advisers George Papadopoulos and Carter Page about emails that Russian hackers stole from the Democratic National Committee. President Donald Trump on Sunday called for an investigation into whether the FBI or the Obama administration infiltrated his campaign for political purposes. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., asked for more information from the Justice Department “regarding a specific individual” in April, but the department rejected the request because the disclosure could have severe consequences, including the loss of human life. The White House announced that chief of staff John Kelly will now arrange a meeting for congressional leaders with the FBI, Justice Department, and the director of National Intelligence to review highly classified information on the subject. The Justice Department also has asked its inspector general to look into the matter. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “If anyone did infiltrate or surveil participants in a presidential campaign for inappropriate purposes, we need to know about it and take appropriate action.”