Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday that "this whole thing stinks" regarding the Russia investigation, simply because special counsel Robert Mueller and former FBI Director James Comey are friends.

"Under the Justice Department's rules, Mueller has his own obligation to recuse himself with anything involving Comey," Gingrich, the former Republican Georgia congressman, told Sean Hannity on Fox News. "This makes you wonder why would you pick a close friend that involves Comey?

"This whole thing stinks."

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein named Mueller to head the Russia probe a week after Comey's notes about his private conversations with President Donald Trump were leaked by a friend at the Columbia Law School to The New York Times.

Mueller also once helmed the FBI.

Gingrich's observations also came amid news reports of President Trump added another high-powered lawyer to his personal team and Vice President Mike Pence had hired his own personal lawyer.

In addition, other reports circulated that Mueller added 13 lawyers to handle the Russia investigation.

"You have to look at this and recognize, they're going to get somebody," Gingrich told Hannity. "I don't think they're going to get the president, but they're going to get somebody.

"And, they'll probably be going to go to jail," he added, "because there are too many high-powered lawyers in this."