Senate Intel chairman: No need for committee to interview Bannon

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard BurrRichard Mauze BurrSessions argued presidents can obstruct justice in Clinton impeachment trial Trump Jr. to meet with Senate panel amid Russia probe Trump’s Russian winter grows colder with Flynn plea deal MORE (R-N.C.) said Thursday he doesn’t believe there’s a need for his committee to meet with former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, despite new comments from Bannon about a summer 2016 meeting between Trump campaign members and a Russian lawyer.

“I’m not sure what an individual who wants to talk about a meeting that he didn’t attend would be able to share about that meeting,” Burr told CNN. 

On Wednesday, quotes from Bannon surfaced in excerpts from author Michael Wolff’s upcoming book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.” In the excerpts, Bannon describes Donald Trump Jr.Donald (Don) John TrumpTrump files paperwork to transfer businesses MORE as “unpatriotic” and “treasonous” for taking a meeting with a Russian lawyer who claimed to have dirt on Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonGrassley blasts Democrats over unwillingness to probe Clinton GOP lawmakers cite new allegations of political bias in FBI Top intel Dem: Trump Jr. refused to answer questions about Trump Tower discussions with father MORE.

Bannon is also quoted in the book as saying he believes there was “zero” chance Trump Jr. didn’t take the Russians upstairs in Trump Tower to meet with then-candidate Donald Trump. If true, that contradicts previous statements that President TrumpDonald John TrumpHouse Democrat slams Donald Trump Jr. for ‘serious case of amnesia’ after testimony Skier Lindsey Vonn: I don’t want to represent Trump at Olympics Poll: 4 in 10 Republicans think senior Trump advisers had improper dealings with Russia MORE did not know about the meeting.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is one of the multiple congressional committees conducting separate investigations into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.

The committee has already met with Trump Jr. and senior White House adviser Jared KushnerJared Corey KushnerKushner: Trump team working on Mideast peace plan unconventional, but ‘perfectly qualified’ US attorney fired by Trump: Mueller team likely looking at everyone Additional Trump transition official identified who knew about Flynn's Russia contact: report MORE, and Burr said Thursday that the committee’s previous interviews have provided “substantial insight,” according to CNN.

Sen. Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerSenate panel moves forward with bill to roll back Dodd-Frank Comey back in the spotlight after Flynn makes a deal Warner: Every week another shoe drops in Russia investigation MORE (D-Va.), the committee’s top Democrat, on Wednesday night deflected questions about whether Bannon should appear before the committee, instead saying the former chief strategist’s comments need to be “proven or disproven.”

“There are a host of individuals that I believe we need to have back before the committee and, if possible, in public,” Warner said on “Meet The Press Daily.”

He added he’d like certain individuals, including Trump Jr. and Kushner, to appear before the committee again following Bannon's comments.

“Clearly, Mr. Bannon’s comments are going to be subject to, I think, interest from our committee, I’m sure from Mr. Mueller,” Warner added, referring to Robert MuellerRobert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE, the Justice Department's special counsel investigating potential ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow's meddling efforts. “Some of his comments are pretty explosive.”