Golden Shower Gate Latest: British Spy Chris Steele Asked To Testify Before Senate

The infamous Donald Trump-Russia scandal, known often-times as “Golden Shower Gate,” all stemmed from a 35-page intelligence dossier drafted by former British spy turned private security consultant Christopher Steele.

Trump has vehemently denied any link to Russia and some of the more salacious accusations in Steele’s dossier. But now, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee reportedly wants to hear testimony from Steele, the Independent reported Thursday.

According to the report, it appeared highly unlikely that Steele, who was a member of Britain’s clandestine MI6 spy service, would even head to the U.S. to testify in person before Congress. However, both Democrats and Republicans have tried to work out a “discreet” meeting either in the U.K. or at some other neutral location.

Though Trump has called Steele a “failed spy” and often accused the media of generating “fake news” and fabricating sources, the Independent reported that Steele was still “highly regarded” and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had even reached out to him to ask to continue his investigation into Trump’s alleged connections with Russia. The top law enforcement agency wanted to pay Steele, but he reportedly didn’t want payment “because he was so worried by what he was discovering.”

Steele’s dossier alleged that Trump’s campaign had contact with Russian officials and intelligence officers while it was running for the White House last year. It also alleged that Trump had rented out a hotel room that he knew former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama had stayed in while in Russia and hired prostitutes to urinate on the room’s bed.

Trump cast aside that last accusation, claiming he was a “germaphobe,” but the continued links to Russia have hampered his administration in its first five weeks. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was asked to resign after he misled Vice President Mike Pence about his conversation with a Russian ambassador about sanctions placed on Russia by Obama for its alleged hacking of the U.S. presidential election.

Most recently, it was revealed late Wednesday that Attorney General and Trump appointee Jeff Sessions had also met with the same Russian ambassador in July and September. Democrats have called for the former Alabama senator to both recuse himself from the ongoing investigation and to resign. Republicans, by and large, have also called for Sessions to recuse himself but so far have not requested a fateful resignation.