Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (I-Vt.) said Wednesday that President Trump is “impeding” the FBI’s probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, specifically citing his decision to fire FBI Director James Comey.

“It is a situation where the president is impeding a significant investigation,” Sanders said on CNN’s “The Situation Room." "[It’s] to determine whether, in fact, there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.”

Sanders cited recent elections in France, Germany and Ukraine as evidence of Russia’s tampering with democracy.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Our intelligence agencies all agree that [Russia] interfered significantly in the American election,” Sanders said. “This is an investigation that has to go forward in a nonpartisan way."

The White House announced Tuesday that Trump had fired Comey on the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status White House officials voted by show of hands on 2018 family separations: report MORE and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein.

Trump’s decision stunned Washington, with some questioning the timing of the dismissal.

Comey announced in March that the FBI was probing Russian intrusions in the 2016 race, including possible ties between Trump’s campaign and Moscow.

Reports emerged Wednesday that Comey requested more money and personnel for the FBI’s investigation shortly before being fired. He made the request last week during a meeting with Rosenstein, who ultimately authored the memo justifying the former’s firing.

The Justice Department’s top spokeswoman on Wednesday denied that Comey had requested either more funds or resources.

“[It’s] totally false,” Sarah Isgur Flores said of the reports.