The transcripts of the testimony of a key figure in the Trump-Russia dossier to staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this week will likely be released, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Thursday.
"I certainly will vote for them to be made public," the Connecticut Democrat told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. "Glenn Simpson should testify in the committee in the open, under oath, and so should the others as well, [such as] Donald Trump Jr."
Simpson's private research firm Fusion GPS was initially paid approximately $1 million by wealthy Republicans to research then-candidate Donald Trump, with Democrats later asking the firm to dig up information about Trump once he became the GOP nominee.
Simpson testified to staff members of the Judiciary Committee, and Chairman Chuck Grassley said Simpson and his attorney wanted to examine the transcript before it's released publicly, the "Morning Joe" program reported Thursday.
Simpson is significant to the Russia election investigation because he compiled a damaging dossier against Trump, and also because he is a close associate of people who attended a meeting between Trump Jr. and Russians last June, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort, said Blumenthal.
"We want to make sure whether it's the release of the transcript or anything else we in no way conflict with the special counsel's role," said Blumenthal. "He should be protected by legislation that I've offered and others, that's bipartisan."
He agreed that Simpson was a compelling witness and "potentially has facts that are relevant to the investigation, and those facts may be more interesting, the more we learn."
Meanwhile, Blumenthal said he is pleased with the bipartisan approach into the Russia investigation and that he is satisfied that Grassley is committed to "uncovering all of the truths surrounding potential obstruction of justice in the firing of Jim Comey and other actions and threats that the president has taken."