Former Rep. Jason Chaffetz Jason ChaffetzThe myth of the conservative bestseller Elijah Cummings, Democratic chairman and powerful Trump critic, dies at 68 House Oversight panel demands DeVos turn over personal email records MORE (R-Utah) said Wednesday morning that the deep state is "very real," adding that he "lived through it."

"Today is going to be a big day, because Devin Nunes Devin Gerald NunesSunday 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 Sunday shows preview: White House, congressional Democrats unable to breach stalemate over coronavirus relief MORE has subpoenaed a bunch of records from the Department of Justice," "Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade said when introducing Chaffetz, who signed on as a Fox News contributor in 2016.

“We will find out exactly how many of them show up and how many of them are blacked out," added co-host Steve Doocy.

ADVERTISEMENT

"John Solomon has some good reporting over at The Hill where they revealed yesterday that there is ... written evidence that apparently the FBI believed that laws were broken regarding the Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE email scandal. And it looks like that IT guy covered things up when he, even though they were subpoenaing the email records, he went and [used computer software BleachBit] or whatever he did to it to destroy the hard drive," Doocy continued.

Chaffetz said he believed that Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, would be indicted in July 2016, before former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyTrump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa Graham: Comey to testify about FBI's Russia probe, Mueller declined invitation Barr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' MORE announced that she would not.

“There was hammers, there was BleachBit. When you listen to James Comey back in July of 2016, you really thought that she was actually to get indicted. But this is a closed case. So there no reason why the Department of Justice should hold back any documents from the Congress,” he said

“Well, then why are they?” asked Doocy.

“Well, the key you that you need to listen for today is, I guarantee you, the Department of Justice will tout how many documents they are turning over," Chaffetz replied. "The question that [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 always asked, which is the right one, is what percentage of the documents? Because, if you want 100 percent of the truth on a closed case, hen turn over all the documents. But I don’t think they’re going to do it. They’ve been asking for these documents under subpoena since August and they still haven’t gotten them.”

“Is it the deep state?” Doocy asked.

“It is the deep state," Chaffetz said. "I was a little skeptical ... but I’m telling you, having lived through it, it is very real.”

The commentary from Chaffetz comes after Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, slammed 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 last Thursday while accusing the Justice Department of ignoring subpoenas sent by the committee last August.

His Dec. 28 letter alleges the FBI ignored Nunes's requests for information pertaining to a dossier of opposition research, which contains unverified and salacious information linking President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE to Russia that was compiled by a former British intelligence agent and paid for by the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign.

"Shortly before my meeting with you in early December, DOJ subsequently located and produced numerous FD-302s pertaining to the Steele dossier, thereby rendering the initial response disingenuous at best," Nunes wrote to Rosenstein.

FD-302s are FBI forms that include reports or summaries of interviews.

"Given the content and impact of these supposedly newly discovered FD-302s, the Committee is no longer able to accept your purported basis for DOJ's blanket refusal to provide responsive FBI Form FD-1023s—documenting meetings between FBI officials and FBI confidential human sources—or anything less than full and complete compliance with its subpoenas," Nunes wrote.