Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeJeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden Maybe they just don't like cowboys: The president is successful, some just don't like his style MORE (R-Ariz.) on Wednesday criticized the White House for excluding Democrats from a meeting with top intelligence officials about a confidential FBI source in the Russia probe.

“This is not right. Briefings like this should be bipartisan,” Flake tweeted.

This is not right. Briefings like this should be bipartisan. https://t.co/Eorhnf8Mim pic.twitter.com/lOE5mqlqZB — Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) May 23, 2018

Flake, who is retiring from Congress when his term ends in January, has been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration.

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The White House said Tuesday that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes Devin Gerald NunesSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Sunday shows preview: With less than two months to go, race for the White House heats up Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-Calif.) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy Harold (Trey) Watson GowdySunday shows preview: Election integrity dominates as Nov. 3 nears Tim Scott invokes Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Trump convention speech Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-S.C.) will meet Thursday with FBI Director Christopher Wray, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats and top Justice Department official Ed O'Callaghan.

White House chief of staff John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE arranged the meeting, but will not be there himself. No White House officials will be in attendance, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

Sanders said no Democrats were invited because they were not the ones requesting information about the FBI source.

Democrats criticized the partisan nature of the meeting, and on Wednesday Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerSenate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' Jacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare House lawmakers reach deal to avert shutdown Centrist Democrats 'strongly considering' discharge petition on GOP PPP bill MORE (D-Calif.) urged Deputy Attorney General 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 to cancel the meeting.

Schumer and Pelosi suggested he hold a bipartisan briefing instead with congressional leadership from the House and Senate.

The FBI source has become a source of controversy in recent weeks. President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE has seized on it as evidence of bias at the agency, claiming without evidence that the FBI spied on his campaign for political purposes.

On Wednesday morning, the president dubbed the matter "spygate" and claimed it could be "one of the biggest political scandals in history."