The transcript of former FBI Director James Comey's closed-door interview with the House Judiciary and Oversight committees was released on Saturday afternoon, about 24 hours after the interview ended.
The transcript, released as part of a compromise between Comey and Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, shows a tense exchange at times between Comey and some committee members in the Friday interview session.
Tensions arose when Comey, upon the advice of Cecelia Bessee, an attorney representing the FBI, refused to answer questions about Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.
Clinton's email server and the FBI investigation into its use came up in several questions from Republican lawmakers.
At one point, Comey was asked if former FBI agent Peter Strzok and Justice Department lawyer Lisa Page had input into his decision not to prosecute Clinton for the improper use of personal email.
"Peter Strzok helped draft my letter to Congress on October 28th that Hillary Clinton blames for her defeat. So it's hard for me to see how he was on Team Clinton secretly at that point in time," Comey said.
Comey did not respond to some questions about special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
He did deny that he and Mueller were friends, something President Donald Trump had suggested in a tweet.
"I admire the heck out of the man, but I don't know his phone number, I've never been to his house, I don't know his children's names," Comey said.
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