WASHINGTON _ House Speaker Paul D. Ryan declined to weigh in on allegations that President Donald Trump attempted to pressure former FBI Director James B. Comey in the bureau's probe of links between Russia and Trump's campaign.
Dismissing some of the reports as "innuendo," Ryan brushed aside calls for a special investigation or prosecutor.
The Los Angeles Times/Tribune Washington Bureau and other media outlets have reported that Trump asked Comey to back off the FBI's probe of fired national security adviser Michael Flynn. The White House has denied the account, which was first reported by The New York Times.
"We need the facts," Ryan said after a morning meeting of House Republicans at GOP headquarters.
He cited the current probes by congressional intelligence committees and House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Chaffetz's request for transcripts and tapes of Trump's conversations.
"There are a lot of unanswered questions," Ryan said.
"The last thing I want to do is pre-judge anything. ... We're going to keep doing our jobs."
Several lawmakers said they would like to review any available tapes and transcripts of Trump's conversations with Comey, and with Russian diplomats during an Oval Office visit last week. During that meeting, Trump shared intelligence about Islamic State terrorists with the Russians.
But many Republicans dismissed the issues swirling around the White House as media hype that isn't resonating with voters back home.
?"I don't get all wee-wee'd up about this," said Rep. Rod Blum, R-Iowa. "People in Iowa care about jobs."?
House Republicans said they didn't spend much time, if any, discussing the events at the White House.
Instead the meeting largely focused on upcoming special elections for vacant GOP seats that are facing stiff challenges from Democrats.
Freshman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said Trump is sometimes a "victim" of his off-the-cuff style
"He jokes a lot," said Comer, who has personally spent time with the president. "This is a guy that doesn't measure everything he says like most politicians and this is the kind of leader Americans voted for, and I think he deserves a chance."
