Former FBI Director James Comey had fought the subpoena, issued last month, offering to instead appear for a public hearing. | Win McNamee/Getty Images Legal Comey drops fight against House subpoena

Former FBI Director James Comey has abandoned his legal fight against a House Judiciary Committee subpoena compelling him to testify behind closed doors this week.

In a Sunday afternoon filing, Comey's attorneys signaled that he intended to end the effort because he had reached an "acceptable accommodation" with the Judiciary Committee to appear voluntarily.


The committee's chairman, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), said the interview would be closed door and transcribed — and that a transcript would be released "as soon as possible after the interview."

A lawyer for the House of Representatives said in court Friday that he anticipated the transcript could be prepared within 24 hours. David Kelley, Comey’s lawyer, expressed skepticism about that timeline and worried about the recourse Comey would have if the committee failed to meet its end of the bargain.

Comey had fought Goodlatte's subpoena, issued last month, offering to instead appear for a public hearing.

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"There was no need to use baseless litigation in an attempt to run out the clock on this Congress, and I am glad that it was withdrawn," Goodlatte said in a statement.

Comey complained that the GOP-led investigation had led to selective leaks of closed-door testimony intended to cast witnesses in a negative light.

But the House's chief counsel, Tom Hungar, said that argument was not enough to overcome the House's constitutional authority to conduct a closed-door deposition — and emphasized that Comey was free to discuss his testimony afterward. A transcript, too, would provide more insight into Comey's appearance than that of other witnesses who have previously appeared before the committee.

In a tweet after his decision, Comey said he was "grateful for a fair hearing" from Judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, on Friday.

"Hard to protect my rights without being in contempt, which I don’t believe in. So will sit in the dark, but Republicans agree I’m free to talk when done and transcript released in 24 hours," he said. "This is the closest I can get to public testimony."