Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York sent out a “Dear colleague” letter on Thursday with Ted Lieu of California asking lawmakers to co-sponsor the resolution. | AP Photo House Dems plot new attempt to shake loose Trump-Russia documents

House Democrats are trying again to force President Donald Trump to turn over documents about his campaign’s ties to Russia, after a first “resolution of inquiry” was killed by Republicans last week.

Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Ted Lieu of California sent out a “Dear colleague” letter on Thursday asking lawmakers to co-sponsor a resolution pushing Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions “to come clean with the American people about their ties to Russia.”


The resolution would call on Trump and Sessions “to transmit to the House … information regarding any meeting or communication between any employee of Donald Trump, his campaign or transition team, and anyone representing the interests of Russia,” according to the letter, which was obtained by POLITICO.

“It is incumbent upon the House of Representatives to uphold its solemn duty to be an inquest on behalf of the American people to fully investigate Russia's attack on our country," the letter says.

A similar measure would have required the Justice Department to provide Congress documents related to any criminal or counterintelligence investigations involving Trump or his staff. That resolution, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), was defeated in an 18-16 party-line vote in the Judiciary Committee.