FBI agents visited the home of former chief Trump strategist Steve Bannon last week, a source familiar with the situation has confirmed to CBS News.
CBS News White House and senior foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan reports FBI agents made a trip to Bannon’s home last week, in what became a heated exchange with the agents. It’s unclear if Bannon had an attorney on retainer at that point. The agents delivered a subpoena for Bannon. That subpoena has become a moot point now, since Bannon has agreed to speak with investigators, CBS News Katiana Krawchenko confirmed.
Bannon has agreed to speak with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team, as Mueller and his associates investigate Russian election meddling and any ties to Trump associates. Bannon was interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday, as it conducts a separate investigation.
According to House Intelligence Committee ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff, R-California, Bannon refused to answer a number of questions. The White House is blaming the committee for not knowing what it is doing, and pointing to written guidance on congressional testimony. The Associated Press reported Bannon’s lawyer was relaying questions to the White House in real time, something a source close to Bannon told CBS News was not accurate. The White House, according to White House officials, believed the questions posed to Bannon Tuesday went beyond the scope of the agreed-upon topics.
Some of the committee staff members for the majority members are also frustrated by Tuesday’s interview, according to committee sources. They said there was never an agreement on a narrowed scope of questioning.
“There was never an agreement with the committee counsel,” according to one congressional source familiar with the matter.
Since the White House briefing Wednesday afternoon, the White House counsel and the committee have spoken again. The White House has indicated, CBS News has learned, that it is open to a new scope of inquiry regarding Bannon, but wants to go through a certain process.
Bannon is expected back on the Hill Thursday. Earlier this month, President Trump publicly split with him, and Breitbart News subsequently severed ties with its former executive chairman.
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