After Years of Legislative Effort, Stefanik Delivers Significant Reform to Prevent Weaponization of FBI Uncovered by Her 2017 Questioning of James Comey Regarding the Russia Hoax

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik successfully passed Congressional notification language out of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) that would ensure the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) discloses any counterintelligence investigations into presidential and all federal candidates seeking office.

The language, included in the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA), prevents the FBI from secretly launching investigations into federal candidates to impact elections, as it did during the 2016 election, when then-FBI Director James Comey opened an illegal "counterintelligence investigation" into then-candidate Donald Trump. It was Congresswoman Elise Stefanik's questioning of Comey in 2017 that led to the start of the GOP-led investigation into the corrupt Crossfire Hurricane operation that resulted in fully clearing President Trump's name and exposing criminal acts from James Comey and the Obama Administration.

Chairwoman Elise Stefanik stated:

"We must prevent the illegal political weaponization of intelligence agencies in our elections as James Comey perpetrated in 2016 with the corrupt Crossfire Hurricane investigation launched against Presidential Candidate Donald Trump. Back in 2017, I was the first to expose the illegal cover-up by Comey and the deep state through my tough questioning in the March 2017 intelligence hearing. Comey admitted to me that he did not follow precedent and inform Congressional leadership of the "counterintelligence investigation" into then Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump. My questioning led to the GOP-led investigation that would clear President Trump's name from any wrongdoing and also expose these deep state actors as corrupt. That is why, after years of fighting to deliver reform, I successfully advanced Congressional notification language out of committee in this year's Intelligence Authorization Act that would ensure the FBI discloses to Congress all initiated counterintelligence investigations into federal candidates. A big win for the rule of law.

I remain committed to fully investigating the corrupt Russiagate hoax and holding those responsible accountable, and I stand by President Trump's efforts to further release information for the American people to see regarding this scam investigation and cover-up."

BACKGROUND:

Under strong questioning from Congresswoman Elise Stefanik in March of 2017, James Comey testified that he did not follow the proper protocol regarding the notification of Congress of the initiation of Crossfire Hurricane, the counterintelligence investigation into President Trump in 2016. To address this illegal abuse of power, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik worked with the HPSCI to include a provision in this year's legislation to require notification to Congressional leadership of any counterintelligence investigation into a federal candidate seeking office.

Read more HERE.

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Permalink: https://stefanik.house.gov/2025/9/after-years-of-legislative-effort-stefanik-delivers-significant-reform-to-prevent-weaponization-of-fbi-uncovered-by-her-2017-questioning-of-james-comey-regarding-the-russia-hoax