Republican lawmakers meeting behind closed doors are questioning former FBI Director James Comey about the bias of FBI agents who participated in the investigation into possible Russian collusion with the Trump campaign, according to a Democratic congressman.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, California Democrat, told reporters huddled outside the closed-door meeting Friday much of the questioning from the GOP side has been focused on the messages between former FBI agents Peter Stzrok and Lisa Page, which showed disdain for then-candidate Donald Trump and expressed support for Hillary Clinton.

“He said that there always has to be a question of an appearance of bias — that is something he kind of stressed,” Mr. Gomez said.

“He’s been pretty forthcoming unless the FBI itself stepped in and said he couldn’t answer,” he added.

The FBI stepped in about four times, according to his estimate, to prevent Mr. Comey from answering a question.

“When the Democrats have been asking the questions, so far, they haven’t interfered once,” Mr. Gomez said.

Rep. Darrell Issa, California Republican, reportedly told the press Mr. Comey is being told not to answer questions about the start of the Russian probe and the FISA warrant on Carter Page, a former Trump campaign associate by a Justice Department lawyer, who is also present in the room.

“We absolutely need to get answers,” Mr. Issa said, according to reports.

GOP chairmen, who are about to lose power in the new Congress in January, have been trying to bring Mr. Comey to Capitol Hill to explain his decisions related to the 2016 election, particularly investigations into Ms. Clinton’s use of her personal email and the probe into Russian activities during the campaign.

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