Ex-FBI director James Comey files action to quash Republican congressional subpoena

Former FBI Director James Comey asked a federal judge on Thursday to quash a congressional subpoena from Republicans on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee who are trying to compel him to testify behind closed doors about his decision-making ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

The unusual filing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia came after Comey had told Republican lawmakers he would only agree to testify if the hearing were open to the public.

“Mr. Comey asks this court’s intervention not to avoid giving testimony but to prevent the joint committee from using the pretext of a closed interview to peddle a distorted, partisan political narrative,” the filing said.

Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall