On his way out the door from a stormy tenure at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDOJ kept investigators from completing probe of Trump ties to Russia: report Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report FBI officials hid copies of Russia probe documents fearing Trump interference: book MORE is talking. Just not talking to the congressional committees that he stalled when they demanded his testimony last year.

Instead, the departing deputy attorney general is giving a series of off-the-record interviews to reporters, multiple sources confirm to me.

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For those not privy to the ways of the media, it means Rosenstein is telling his story to reporters in a way that can’t be attributed to him. It’s a classic tactic some politicians and bureaucrats use to shape a legacy — without leaving their public fingerprints on the story line.

It also means the House judiciary and oversight committees that aggressively sought Rosenstein’s testimony remain empty-handed months after Republicans on the committees demanded answers under oath to such questions as:

Rosenstein managed to escape testifying on these issues by using an “I’m too busy” argument and running out the clock on the Republicans who then controlled the House but gave up power on Jan. 3, after Democrats won the majority in the November election.

Rosenstein, who took over the Trump-Russia probe when former Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE recused himself back in 2017, has made clear he plans to step down as early as next week when Sessions’s replacement, William Barr Bill BarrProsecutor says no charges in Michigan toilet voting display Judge rules Snowden to give up millions from book, speeches The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE, presumably is confirmed by the full Senate.

Those Republican lawmakers who pursued Rosenstein’s testimony for months aren’t happy now that he is demonstrating he had enough time for reporters in his final days yet never had it for the lawmakers when it came to congressional oversight questions that arose last summer about possible abuse of the FISA process and discussions of secretly recording the president.

“Rod Rosenstein’s decision to clear his schedule and talk with reporters is just another example of the deputy AG’s anonymous spin to paint his decision-making in a more favorable light,” said Rep. Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsHouse moves toward spending vote after bipartisan talks House Democrats mull delay on spending bill vote Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE (R-N.C.). “When given the opportunity to be transparent and tell the truth under oath, he refused. Any stories he shares in his final days at DOJ should be met with a degree of skepticism and a heavy dose of declassification.”

Added Rep. Jim Jordan James (Jim) Daniel JordanSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election House passes resolution condemning anti-Asian discrimination relating to coronavirus Republicans call for Judiciary hearing into unrest in cities run by Democrats MORE (R-Ohio), ranking member on the House Oversight Committee: “Rod Rosenstein plotted against the president and obstructed congressional efforts to get the truth. He should be testifying before Congress, not giving rounds of press interviews to friendly reporters. As he leaves office, Mr. Rosenstein must cooperate fully with IG (Michael) Horowitz’s investigation into Justice Department media leaks. Democrats in Congress should insist on Mr. Rosenstein’s public testimony — a far better use of our time than the Lanny Davis-produced circus with Michael Cohen Michael Dean CohenA huge deal for campaign disclosure: Trump's tax records for Biden's medical records Our Constitution is under attack by Attorney General William Barr Eric Trump says he will comply with New York AG's subpoena only after Election Day MORE.”

A DOJ spokesperson for Rosenstein did not return requests for comment.

With House Republicans unable to get their answers and, now, out of power on the committees, the only line of direct GOP inquiry will be newly-minted Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (R-S.C.). Graham has signaled he plans aggressive oversight on the issue of possible FISA abuses in the Russia probe.

The question now is whether the information Rosenstein is passing to reporters in his farewell tour will become part of that inquiry.

John Solomon is an award-winning investigative journalist whose work over the years has exposed U.S. and FBI intelligence failures before the Sept. 11 attacks, federal scientists’ misuse of foster children and veterans in drug experiments, and numerous cases of political corruption. He is The Hill’s executive vice president for video.