Mr. Gowdy. Right. Was Michael Flynn under investigation for his ties with Russia at the time you sent the Bureau agents over to interview him?
Mr. Comey. I think I'm obligated to give you the same answer. I can't comment on that.
Mr. Gowdy. And the reason you can't comment is why?
Mr. Comey. Again, there are FBI lawyers here who will tell me if I'm wrong, but I do not believe the United States Government has ever publicly confirmed what Americans were the subjects of counterintelligence investigations prior to that date.
Mr. Gowdy. Well, you said four Americans. You've said that before. Correct?
Mr. Comey. Sure. That fact is public.
Mr. Gowdy. Right. So it's four Americans. You just testified that one of the Bureau's missions is to find out whether or not people are working in concert with foreign nations?
Mr. Comey. Correct.
Mr. Gowdy. Is that why the agents went to interview Michael Flynn, to find out whether or not he was working on behalf of the Russian state?
Mr. Comey. I'd give you the same answer I gave before. The agents went to interview Flynn to try and understand why the National Security Advisor was making false statements to the Vice President of the United States about his interactions with the Russians during the transition.
