WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives probe of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election said on Tuesday their investigation was continuing, they were working to obtain documents and they planned more public hearings.
Representative Mike Conaway, who is leading the probe, and Representative Adam Schiff, the panel's top Democrat, made a joint media appearance about the ongoing investigation days after a dispute between Republicans and Democrats over Republican calls to investigate actions by U.S. officials under former Democratic President Barack Obama.
"There are questions all of us want answered," Conaway told reporters.
Democrats accused President Donald Trump, and the committee's chairman, Republican Representative Devin Nunes, of using concerns related to the Obama administration to divert attention from allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russians attempting to interfere in the 2016 election.
Nunes, a close Trump ally, recused himself from the Russia investigation following a secret visit he paid to White House officials.
Schiff said the panel would like Jeh Johnson, who was homeland security secretary under Obama, to testify in a public hearing and then in a classified session.
Schiff said he thought Johnson "would have insight" into a statement by the intelligence community on Oct. 7, 2016, about Russia's conduct as well as interactions he had with state and local officials about the dangers to the U.S. election system of Russian activities.
Schiff said he had not yet been in touch with Johnson on the matter.
Schiff said the committee was following up requests for information made to witnesses. "At least a couple" had declined to comply voluntarily, so the committee issued subpoenas last week, he said.
The panel is putting together a schedule for interviewing witnesses, after it receives the documents it has requested, Schiff added.
Schiff and Conaway declined to take any questions from reporters.