DNI Coats and Admiral Rogers were selectively silent during today's Senate hearing which asked if Trump interfered with any investigations.
June 7, 2017

During this morning's Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, both DNI Dan Coats and Admiral Rogers were conveniently mum on questions about conversations they had with President Trump.

Sen. Marco Rubio couldn't get much out of the two top intelligence members when he asked if he felt the president or the White House tried to influence an ongoing investigation.

Coats replied, "I hate to keep repeating this but I'm going to do it. I'm willing to come before the committee and tell you what I know and what I don't know."

"What I'm not willing to do is to share what I think is confidential information that ought to be protected in an open hearing so I'm not prepared to answer your questions today," Coats said.

Sen. Rubio was flabbergasted he wouldn't answer his question, "I am not asking you for classified information I'm asking whether or you've ever been asked by anyone to influence an ongoing investigation?"

Coats replied, " I understand, I'm just not going to go down that road in a public forum."

If either Coats or Rogers answered these questions, they would not be leaking classified information because they were not about one specific investigation.

Daniel Coats refused to say whether The Washington Post was accurate when they reported Tuesday, that Trump asked Coats if he could reach out to then-FBI Director James B. Comey and dissuade him from pursuing the Flynn matter.“I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me to address that in a public session,’’

Coats said. “I don’t think this is the appropriate venue to do this in.’’

Admiral Rogers also refused to answer Sen. Warner's questions, “I’m not going to discuss the specifics of any conversations with the president of the United States,” Rogers said.

Sen. Ron Wyden tried to pry out some information from the two intel chiefs, but was rebuffed.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) then tried to grill the panel on whether they had any memos or documentation of their conversations with the president—as former FBI Director Comey reportedly does.

Coats responded bluntly, “I don’t take any notes,” sparking a round of nervous laughter in the hearing room. Rogers similarly claimed he does not have records of their conversations and declined to elaborate.After both men refused to say more, Warner expressed frustration, saying, “At some point, these facts have to come out.”

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