BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Last week, Western New York political operative Michael Caputo testified before the House Intelligence Committee. This week, the former Trump campaign adviser is threatening legal action against Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier.
"Michael Caputo has made his entire professional career on being a spin doctor," Speier said.
Speier has called Caputo Russian President Vladimir Putin's "image consultant." The claim stems from Caputo's time working in Russia during the 1990s, when the company he worked for was hired to improve Putin's image.
Caputo says he told the committee he didn't see evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, calling such accusations "a delusion."
Speier didn't hear the testimony herself, but says she questions the truth behind it.
"It was scheduled at the last minute on a Friday when I had to get back to give a speech and do a town hall in my district," Speier said. "But from what I understand, Mr. Caputo has a number of questions that he's going to have to answer because it appears that he may have actually lied."
"She says it was a last minute hearing — it wasn't. It had been scheduled for weeks. In addition to that, the transcript isn't available yet. She doesn't know what went on," Caputo said.
Caputo says he's hired attorney Dennis Vacco, and while they're still weighing their options, Speier should expect to hear from them soon.
"My advice to Jackie Speier is lawyer up, because she's going to need it," Caputo said
In the meantime, Speier says interviews have only just begun when it comes to the Russia investigation — a process that will likely continue for the next three or four months.