FBI agent Peter Strzok is expected to testify before the House Judiciary Committee next Wednesday. | John Shinkle/POLITICO House panel subpoenas FBI agent Peter Strzok for deposition

The House Judiciary Committee on Friday subpoenaed Peter Strzok to appear for a deposition, even though the embattled FBI agent said last week that he would appear voluntarily.

Strzok, who played roles in the bureau’s investigations of Hillary Clinton’s private email server and Russian meddling in the 2016 election, drew the attention of Republican lawmakers after the release of text messages he exchanged with FBI attorney Lisa Page, in which they were critical of Donald Trump.


Those messages have led Republicans, including the president, to label the two bureau employees as biased and the investigation into possible campaign collusion with Russia as a “witch hunt.”

Strzok is expected to testify next Wednesday.

“We regret that the Committee felt it necessary to issue a subpoena when we repeatedly informed them that Pete was willing to testify voluntarily,” Strzok’s attorney’s office said in a statement.

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Although Strzok may still appear voluntary, no date was set and the subpoena was therefore issued as a backstop, a Capitol Hill source told POLITICO.

Democrats criticized the House Judiciary chairman, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), because he has not informed them whether members or staff of the Oversight Committee may participate if this proceeds as a deposition.

“As part of the ongoing joint investigation being conducted by the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, FBI Agent Peter Strzok, through counsel, had indicated in a public letter his willingness to participate in a voluntary transcribed interview,” Democrats wrote in a memo to staff.

A deposition may be negotiated into a voluntary transcribed interview instead, Democratic lawmakers also said in the memo.

Kyle Cheney contributed to this report.