Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse Sheldon WhitehouseRestaurant owner defends calamari as 'bipartisan' after Democratic convention appearance Warren calls on McConnell to bring Senate back to address Postal Service Senate Democrats demand answers on migrant child trafficking during pandemic MORE (D-R.I.), who is investigating possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, privately told other senators that FBI Director James Comey could provide a "clearer explanation" of the FBI-led Russia investigation before he is expected to appear before a Senate panel on Wednesday, Politico reported.

Comey suggested he would provide more information during a private meeting with Whitehouse and Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Loeffler calls for hearing in wake of Netflix's 'Cuties' Quinnipiac poll shows Graham, Harrison tied in South Carolina Senate race MORE (R-S.C.) earlier this month, the news outlet added. Both Whitehouse and Graham serve on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which has FBI oversight.

The three men met on March 2, the same day that 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 announced he would recuse himself from investigations into Russia and the election.

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Whitehouse told Politico it is unclear from whom Comey needed additional clearance before he could further discuss the investigations.

“So we said look, we’re going to go ahead with our hearing on the 15th, just let us know by then,” Whitehouse told Politico.

“So I think he implicitly confirmed that they are looking at this and he said he’d get us a clearer explanation by tomorrow. That was satisfactory to both of us,” Whitehouse added.

“Comey wanted to have some time to structure his response,” Whitehouse added.