Senate intel committee orders agencies to preserve all records related to Russian meddling in 2016 election

The Senate Intelligence Committee has ordered more than a dozen individuals and agencies to preserve records related to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.

According to the Associated Press, a congressional aide confirmed that the committee had sent formal requests that all materials related to Russian meddling be preserved.

The AP notes that the letters were a bi-partisan affair with both the panel's chairmen, Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and vice chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) signing on.

The Friday letters come on the heels of a closed door meeting with FBI Director James Comey who spent nearly three hours answering questions Friday afternoon in a secure room in the Senate basement used for classified briefings.

Pres. Donald Trump is coming under increasing scrutiny for his administration's ties to Russia and reports that his campaign staff were repeatedly in contact with Russian intelligence officials during the 2016 campaign.

There are currently three active FBI investigations involving Russia and its attempts to sway the 2016 election in Trump's favor.

Trump's appointee for national security adviser Gen. Mike Flynn stepped down over his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and his subsequent lies to the American public and Vice Pres. Mike Pence about those calls.

Politico reported on Friday that some House Democrats were concerned that Republicans would destroy documents related to the investigation of Flynn. Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee sent a letter to the office of the White House counsel asking that documents related to Flynn and his conversations with Kislyak be preserved.