国际英语资讯:Acting U.S. attorney general says he has not interfered with Russia probe_时事

国际英语资讯:Acting U.S. attorney general says he has not interfered with Russia probe

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- Matthew Whitaker, acting U.S. attorney general, said Friday that he has not interfered with the ongoing Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

"There has been no event, no decision that has required me to take any action," Whitaker told the House Judiciary Committee Friday morning. "I have not interfered in any way with the special counsel's investigation."

He also confirmed he has been briefed on the wide-ranging inquiry but refused to talk in details, only insisting that he has not talked to President Donald Trump or senior White House officials about it.

Whitaker is directly overseeing the Mueller-led investigation, which has focused on possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow during the 2016 U.S. presidential elections and whether the president obstructed justice, among other things.

Seen as a close ally to Trump, Whitaker has been questioned over his past criticism of the Russia probe and his refusal to step aside despite advice from the Justice Department's ethics officials.

Trump tabbed Whitaker to lead the agency on a temporary basis after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was ousted immediately after the midterm elections in November.

The Democrat-led House panel was holding the hearing over Whitaker's oversight of the probe, his contacts with White House related to it and the firing of Sessions.

"Mr. Whitaker, like everyone else at the Department of Justice, you are entitled to your political opinions," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said at Friday's hearing.