House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) has issued a subpoena for FBI agent Peter Strzok to appear before the committee Wednesday morning even though Strzok's lawyer Aitan Goelman had written to the committee explaining his client was willing to appear voluntarily.
"While you are, of course, free to continue pursuing this process, it is wholly unnecessary," Goelman wrote in the letter.
"Special Agent Strzok, who has been fully cooperative with the [Justice Department] Office of Inspector General, intends to voluntarily appear and testify before your committee and any other Congressional committee that invites him," he added.
Committee member Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) had said earlier on Friday that a subpoena would likely be "necessary" to compel Strzok to comply with the Judiciary panel.
“It’s my understanding that Chairman Goodlatte will be subpoenaing him very soon,” Chabot said on Hill.TV’s "Rising." “Maybe a subpoena won’t be necessary, but it looks like it probably will.”
In an interview with The Washington Post published Sunday, Goelman indicated that Strzok was willing to testify before Congress without immunity in an effort to clear his name. Goelman told the post that Strzok felt his "position, character and actions" had been maligned.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed Strzok from the Russia investigation as soon as he was notified Strzok and fellow FBI employee Lisa Page had exchanged anti-Trump text messages. And even though Strzok and Page disparaged other officials and politicians in their ongoing correspondence, President Trump and his allies in Congress have taken to insisting Strzok and Page's disdain is proof of a DOJ plot to take down the president.
The DOJ currently is conducting an internal conduct review of Strzok's behavior.
House Judiciary Committee subpoenas FBI agent who sent anti-Trump texts (The Hill)