Indian-American Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on Friday asked the White House to produce the tapes of US President Donald Trump's conversations with James Comey to allow facts of the former FBI Director's sacking to "come to light".
Mr Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Oversight Committee, said in a letter to the White House Counsel Donald F McGahn after Mr Trump tweeted about tapes last morning. "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" said Trump whose firing of Comey on Tuesday has triggered days of turmoil in Washington.
"In light of the varied and divergent statements from the White House press briefing room regarding the firing of both former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and former FBI Director James Comey, the production of such tapes would allow the facts of these terminations to come to light," Mr Krishnamoorthi wrote.
"I would respectfully request that the White House Counsel provide the House Oversight Committee with all tapes of the President's communications with former FBI Director James Comey, of President Trump's meeting with Russian officials which was closed to American press but not their Russian counterparts, and of any conversations regarding the hiring or firing of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn," he said.
Mr Krishnamoorthi said the White House tapes could accelerate current investigations as previous tapes have aided past inquiries.