Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE (I-Vt.) on Tuesday renewed calls for a special prosecutor to examine any ties between President Trump's campaign and Russian officials during the presidential election.

"Now more than ever we need a special prosecutor to determine whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia," Sanders said in a statement.

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Democrats have renewed calls for a special prosecutor after The New York Times reported that Trump in mid-February privately told then-FBI Director James Comey to end the federal investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

The White House released a statement denying that Trump asked Comey to end the probe. The story was based on a memo written by Comey, who was leading the bureau's investigation into ties between Trump's campaign and Russia before being fired by Trump last week.

Sanders urged the Republicans in Congress to hold Trump "accountable for his actions" and said that next FBI director must be independent of the White House.

"Now more than ever we need to make public any recordings from the Oval Office. Now more than ever we need to make sure that the next FBI director is independent of the Trump administration," he said.

"Now more than ever we need Republican members of Congress to work with us in demanding that Trump be held accountable for his actions."