Ex-Clinton campaign chair Podesta meets with lawmakers investigating Russia

FILE - In this Monday, Aug. 10, 2009, file photo, Center for American Progress Action Fund President & CEO John Podesta speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit 2.0, at The Cox Pavillion in Las Vegas. (AP Photo)

John Podesta, the former chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, met Tuesday behind closed doors with lawmakers investigating Russian actions during last year's presidential campaign.

Podesta spoke to members of the House intelligence committee, which is leading one of several investigations into alleged connections between Moscow and members of President Trump's campaign.

During the height of the campaign, several thousand emails from Podesta's personal account were stolen and published on Wikileaks. The website, which CIA Director Mike Pompeo recently described as a 'hostile intelligence service' abetted by Russia, also published hacked emails from computers belonging to the Democratic National Committee.

Podesta told reporters after the meeting that he was "happy to cooperate with the committee in their investigation of Russian interference with the democratic process in the United States."

Podesta also defended the Obama administration's response, saying that they were "dealing with an unprecedented ... weaponization of the fruits of Russian cyber activity, and I think they were trying to make the best judgments they could on behalf of the American people."

When asked if he planned to come back to Capitol Hill to discuss the hacking, Podesta told reporters, "I hope not."