Conyers, Dems Demand Tapes After Trump's Actions 'Reek Of A Cover Up'
DETROIT (WWJ) -- Rep. John Conyers, a Democrat representing Michigan's 13th District, has joined others from his party in demanding answers from President Donald Trump following the firing of FBI director James Comey and alleged secret tapes from the White House.
Conyers and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland) co-authored a letter to the White House on Friday requesting copies of all tapes and communications related to Comey's firing.
"The President's actions this morning—as well as his admission yesterday on national television that he fired Director Comey because he was investigating Trump campaign officials and their connections to the Russian government—raise the specter of possible intimidation and obstruction of justice," the letter reads.
Trump tweeted on Friday that Comey "better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"
Comey was unexpectedly fired on Tuesday, while the FBI was in the midst of investigating the Trump campaign's possible ties to the Russian government during the 2016 Presidential election. Comey also oversaw the investigation of Hillary Clinton's email debacle that clouded the election.
Conyers released a statement on Tuesday following Comey's abrupt departure, calling it a "self-serving political firing."
"There is little doubt that the President's actions harken our nation back to Watergate and the 'Saturday Night Massacre,'" the statement reads. "Today's actions reek of a cover up and appear to be part of an ongoing effort by the Trump White House to impede the investigation into Russian ties and interference in our elections."
Trump and the White House would not comment on the President's tweet Friday after having an opportunity to put to rest any suspicions about alleged tapes of meetings or phone calls.
"Under normal circumstances, we would not consider credible any claims that the White House may have taped conversations of meetings with the President," Conyers' letter to the White House continued. "However, because of the many false statements made by White House officials this week, we are compelled to ask whether any such recordings do in fact exist."
Conyers and Cummings ask that the White House turn over any tapes by May 25.