FBI Director James Comey balked Tuesday at questions on whether the bureau was investigating links between President-elect Donald Trump's campaign and Russia, CNN reported.
The refusal to answer during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing prompted a zinger from Maine's independent Sen. Angus King — who commented on the "irony" of the refusal in light of Comey's bombshell announcement 10 days before the 2016 election that the FBI was reviewing emails thought to be related to Hillary Clinton's private server.
"You didn't say one way or another whether even there was an investigation underway?" King asked Comey.
"Correct," Comey replied "I don't, especially in a public forum, we never confirm or deny a pending investigation."
"The irony of your making that statement here I cannot avoid," King shot back.
But Democratic Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden later suggested in a tweet that Comey might be sitting on information about the issue.
At the hearing, before Angus' questions to Comey, Wyden had zeroed in on media reports that Trump campaign associates, including Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, had maintained connections with Russians tied to Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Mother Jones reported.
"Has the FBI investigated these reported relationships?" he asked, according to the publication's report.
"I would never comment on investigations . . . in an open forum," Comey replied.
Wyden then asked if the FBI chief would declassify information related to this matter and "release it to the American people" by Jan. 20.
No, Comey said, adding, "I can't talk about it."
"The American people have a right to know this," Wyden said, the publication reported. "If it doesn't happen by Jan. 20, I'm not sure it's going to happen."