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James Comey fired latest: Donald Trump dismisses FBI Director James Comey fired latest: Donald Trump dismisses FBI Director
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FBI Director James Comey  - who was leading an investigation into alleged links between Donald Trump's team and Russia - has been fired by the US President. FBI Director James Comey  - who was leading an investigation into alleged links between Donald Trump's team and Russia - has been fired by the US President. 
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement that Mr Comey has been "terminated and removed from office." Mr Trump acted on "clear recommendations" from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement that Mr Comey has been "terminated and removed from office." Mr Trump acted on "clear recommendations" from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. 
However, Democratic Senators were quick to point out the constitutional crisis that has been created by Mr Trump removing a man in charge of investigating him. Senator Dick Durbin said on the Senate floor that the firing of Mr Comey raises questions "as to whether the Russian interference in the last presidential election... will also be investigated by the FBI.However, Democratic Senators were quick to point out the constitutional crisis that has been created by Mr Trump removing a man in charge of investigating him. Senator Dick Durbin said on the Senate floor that the firing of Mr Comey raises questions "as to whether the Russian interference in the last presidential election... will also be investigated by the FBI.
Mr Durbin called on the White House to clarify whether the investigation will continue, adding that any "attempt to stop or undermine the FBI probe would "raise grave constitutional issues".Mr Durbin called on the White House to clarify whether the investigation will continue, adding that any "attempt to stop or undermine the FBI probe would "raise grave constitutional issues".
Mr Trump's statement indicated that a search for a new director of the FBI "will begin immediately." Mr Trump's statement indicated that a search for a new director of the FBI "will begin immediately." 
In Mr Trump's letter formally informing Mr Comey of his termination, he was appreciative of Mr Comey "informing [him] on three separate occasions" that the president was not under investigation by the agency. In Mr Trump's letter formally informing Mr Comey of his termination, he was appreciative of Mr Comey "informing [him] on three separate occasions" that the president was not under investigation by the agency. 
However, Mr Trump "concur[s] with the judgement of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau." However, Mr Trump "concur[s] with the judgement of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau." 
"It is essential we find new leadership...that restores public trust and confidence," Mr Trump said. "It is essential we find new leadership...that restores public trust and confidence," Mr Trump said. 
News that Mr Comey made inaccurate statements to the Senate, while under oath, surfaced recently.  In addition to the Senate investigation, the House Intelligence Committee is also conducting a parallel one. Democratic Representative Eric Swallwell, the ranking member on the committee, said that Mr Comey's firing "should send a chill down the spine of every American, no matter who they voted for." 
He said in front of the Senate intelligence committee that top aide to Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin “forwarded hundreds and thousands of emails” that contained classified information to the laptop of husband and erstwhile Congressman Anthony Weiner. “The administration of justice must remain free of political influence, and President Trump has just leaped over that line," said Mr Swalwell. 
It is still unclear whether the error in Mr Comey's testimony was intentional or simply a mistake.  Calls from several members of Congress, including Republican Senator John McCain, into having an independent, bipartisan commission to conduct the Russia investigation have grown increasingly louder in the wake of Mr Comey's dismissal.
Mr McCain expressed his "disappointment" in Mr Trump's decision, calling Mr Comey a "man of honor and integrity" in a statement. 
News that Mr Comey made inaccurate statements to the Senate, while under oath, surfaced recently and could point to a possible reason for his dismissal. 
Mr Comey made headlines in July and October 2016 - mere days before Americans went to the polls - with his explosive letters to Congress detailing the end of the FBI investigation into Ms Clinton's use of a private server to send classified emails while she was serving as Secretary of State and accusing her top aide, Huma Abedin, of sending classified information in a similar manner. 
He said in front of the Senate intelligence committee that Ms Abedin “forwarded hundreds and thousands of emails” that contained classified information to the laptop of husband and erstwhile Congressman Anthony Weiner.
On Tuesday, the FBI said in a two-page letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee that only “a small number” of the thousands of emails found on the laptop had been forwarded there while most had simply been backed up from electronic devices. Most of the email chains on the laptop containing classified information were not the result of forwarding, the FBI said. 
Robert Cattanach, a partner specialising in cybersecurity at the law firm Dorsey & Whitney and a former trial lawyer at the Department of Justice, told The Independent that perjury is “tough to prove.” Robert Cattanach, a partner specialising in cybersecurity at the law firm Dorsey & Whitney and a former trial lawyer at the Department of Justice, told The Independent that perjury is “tough to prove.” 
“It requires a knowing misstatement of fact,” he said. “It requires a knowing misstatement of fact,” he said. 
Mr Cattanach said any letter sent by the FBI to correct the record would have needed to explain “why [Mr Comey] said what he said,” because if it was just an honest mistake Mr Comey did not actual commit perjury in the legal sense. Mr Cattanach said any letter sent by the FBI to correct the record would have needed to explain “why [Mr Comey] said what he said,” because if it was just an honest mistake Mr Comey did not actual commit perjury in the legal sense. 
On Tuesday, the FBI said in a two-page letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee that only “a small number” of the thousands of emails found on the laptop had been forwarded there while most had simply been backed up from electronic devices. Most of the email chains on the laptop containing classified information were not the result of forwarding, the FBI said.  There is no language in the FBI letter indicating why Mr Comey made the error in his testimony on Ms Abedin's email. 
There is no language in the letter indicating why Mr Comey made the error in his testimony on Ms Abedin's email. 
NBC News reports that multiple senior officials in the DOJ and FBI were not informed of Mr Comey’s termination ahead of the White House announcement. NBC News reports that multiple senior officials in the DOJ and FBI were not informed of Mr Comey’s termination ahead of the White House announcement. 
In addition to the Senate investigation, the House Intelligence Committee is also conducting a parallel one. Democratic Representative Eric Swallwell, the ranking member on the committee, said that Mr Comey's firing "should send a chill down the spine of every American, no matter who they voted for."  In his memo to Attorney General, Mr Rosenstein called the way Mr Comey handled the entire Clinton email investigation "wrong." 
“The administration of justice must remain free of political influence, and President Trump has just leaped over that line," said Mr Swalwell.  He wrote that Mr Comey undermined the agency and entire DOJ when he said he had to make a decision whether to "speak" about the Clinton email investigation or "conceal" it. 
Calls from several members of Congress into having an independent, bipartisan commission to conduct the Russia investigation have grown increasingly louder in the wake of Mr Comey's dismissal.  "When federal agents and prosecutors quietly open a criminal investigation, we are not concealing anything," Mr Rosenstein wrote. It has been a longstanding policy of the DOJ not to publicly comment on investigations with "non-public" information. 
In his testimony on 3 May, Mr Comey said knowing he had an impact on the US election because he spoke about the Clinton investigation and not the one regarding Russian ties to the Trump team, made him "nauseous." 
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