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| James Comey fired: calls for special prosecutor after Trump sacks FBI director – live updates | James Comey fired: calls for special prosecutor after Trump sacks FBI director – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.03am BST | |
| 05:03 | |
| Agence France-Presse has some details on the Trump/Lavrov meeting timed to take place tomorrow: | |
| President Donald Trump will host Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov for talks at the White House on Wednesday, his highest-level encounter with a Russian official since taking office. | |
| The two men will meet in the Oval Office at 10:30 am (1430 GMT), according to the White House. | |
| The Russian foreign minister, making his first trip to Washington in four years, will also meet his counterpart Rex Tillerson. | |
| 4.49am BST | |
| 04:49 | |
| Washington correspondent David Smith has written about how White House press staff have performed during the furore over Comey’s sacking. | |
| The administration deployed Sean Spicer, Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Huckabee Sanders to sell the message that his dismissal was definitely, absolutely, totally not about Russia. | |
| 4.38am BST | |
| 04:38 | |
| The controversy over Comey’s firing has reached Australia, where former ambassador to the US Kim Beazley said he believes Trump sacked Comey to shut down the investigation into his campaign’s links with Russia. | |
| Beazley, who served as ambassador from 2010 to 2016, told a group in Brisbane he was not surprised by the move: | |
| Certainly the inquiry the FBI is currently conducting into the relationship of Trump’s campaign team, maybe Trump himself, and the Russians is such that it may have reached the point where somebody would want to be able to appoint an FBI director to suppress the investigation.” | |
| 4.29am BST | 4.29am BST |
| 04:29 | 04:29 |
| 4.11am BST | 4.11am BST |
| 04:11 | 04:11 |
| David Smith has produced some handy annotations to the three letters that spelled the end of James Comey’s tenure at the FBI: | David Smith has produced some handy annotations to the three letters that spelled the end of James Comey’s tenure at the FBI: |
| 4.06am BST | 4.06am BST |
| 04:06 | 04:06 |
| Trump has also sent his “Cryin Chuck Schumer” tweet out from the official president’s account. | Trump has also sent his “Cryin Chuck Schumer” tweet out from the official president’s account. |
| Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, "I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer." Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp | Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, "I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer." Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp |
| 4.00am BST | 4.00am BST |
| 04:00 | 04:00 |
| The Washington Post give the story the full six columns on its front page, as the New York Times did. | The Washington Post give the story the full six columns on its front page, as the New York Times did. |
| Six column headline pic.twitter.com/kD3JmjHgU9 | Six column headline pic.twitter.com/kD3JmjHgU9 |
| 3.54am BST | 3.54am BST |
| 03:54 | 03:54 |
| Trump takes aim at Schumer | Trump takes aim at Schumer |
| The president has tweeted for the first time since news of Comey’s dismissal broke. | The president has tweeted for the first time since news of Comey’s dismissal broke. |
| Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, "I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer." Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp | Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, "I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer." Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.55am BST | at 3.55am BST |
| 3.52am BST | 3.52am BST |
| 03:52 | 03:52 |
| The most dramatic New York Times front page of the Trump presidency so far pic.twitter.com/SjE80cWzZb | The most dramatic New York Times front page of the Trump presidency so far pic.twitter.com/SjE80cWzZb |
| 3.45am BST | 3.45am BST |
| 03:45 | 03:45 |
| Lois Beckett | Lois Beckett |
| In explaining why President Trump fired Comey, the White House has leaned heavily on a Justice Department memo outlining criticism of Comey from a bipartisan set of former Justice Department officials. | In explaining why President Trump fired Comey, the White House has leaned heavily on a Justice Department memo outlining criticism of Comey from a bipartisan set of former Justice Department officials. |
| But one of the critics quoted in the memo – a former deputy attorney general under Republican President George H.W. Bush – has called the justification for Comey’s firing a “sham,” and said his legitimate criticisms of Comey had little to do with the real reason the FBI director was fired. | But one of the critics quoted in the memo – a former deputy attorney general under Republican President George H.W. Bush – has called the justification for Comey’s firing a “sham,” and said his legitimate criticisms of Comey had little to do with the real reason the FBI director was fired. |
| “I view the firing based it seems entirely on Comey’s mishandling of the Clinton investigation by making various inappropriate public statements as a sham,” former deputy attorney general Donald Ayer told Buzzfeed News tonight in an e-mail. “At the time, Mr. Trump was supportive of the most incorrect things that Comey did – editorializing about the facts of the then ended investigation and later announcing that the investigation had been reopened.” | “I view the firing based it seems entirely on Comey’s mishandling of the Clinton investigation by making various inappropriate public statements as a sham,” former deputy attorney general Donald Ayer told Buzzfeed News tonight in an e-mail. “At the time, Mr. Trump was supportive of the most incorrect things that Comey did – editorializing about the facts of the then ended investigation and later announcing that the investigation had been reopened.” |
| Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s deputy attorney general, authored the 9 May memo outlining why Comey’s approach to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails had damaged the credibility of the FBI and the Justice Department. The White House released the memo on Tuesday along with the president’s letter firing the FBI director. | Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s deputy attorney general, authored the 9 May memo outlining why Comey’s approach to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails had damaged the credibility of the FBI and the Justice Department. The White House released the memo on Tuesday along with the president’s letter firing the FBI director. |
| Rosenstein “should realize that his correct assessment of those mistakes is now being used to justify [Comey’s] firing for a very different reason,” Ayers told Buzzfeed. What that reasons is, Ayer declined to say. He confirmed the accuracy of his previous quotes to The Guardian, but declined to comment on what he believed the real reasons for Comey’s firing might be. | Rosenstein “should realize that his correct assessment of those mistakes is now being used to justify [Comey’s] firing for a very different reason,” Ayers told Buzzfeed. What that reasons is, Ayer declined to say. He confirmed the accuracy of his previous quotes to The Guardian, but declined to comment on what he believed the real reasons for Comey’s firing might be. |
| He told The Guardian that he could not comment further because he was in Nepal and about to embark on a trek that would leave him without internet for the rest of the week. | He told The Guardian that he could not comment further because he was in Nepal and about to embark on a trek that would leave him without internet for the rest of the week. |
| 3.26am BST | 3.26am BST |
| 03:26 | 03:26 |
| What we know so far | What we know so far |
| FBI director James Comey has been fired by Donald Trump, who said in a letter that Comey was being “terminated and removed” because he was “not able to effectively lead the bureau. | FBI director James Comey has been fired by Donald Trump, who said in a letter that Comey was being “terminated and removed” because he was “not able to effectively lead the bureau. |
| The sacking came after attorney general Jeff Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein recommended to Trump that he be removed over his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, but critics believe the dismissal is more closely linked to Comey’s role in investigating Trump’s allies over alleged links to Russian interference in the 2016 election. | The sacking came after attorney general Jeff Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein recommended to Trump that he be removed over his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, but critics believe the dismissal is more closely linked to Comey’s role in investigating Trump’s allies over alleged links to Russian interference in the 2016 election. |
| Comey found out he had been fired while speaking to FBI employees in Los Angeles. He reportedly thought it was a prank. | Comey found out he had been fired while speaking to FBI employees in Los Angeles. He reportedly thought it was a prank. |
| The controversial move has been condemned by Democrats, many of whom said the sacking was “Nixonian” and some high profile Republicans including Trump supporters. | The controversial move has been condemned by Democrats, many of whom said the sacking was “Nixonian” and some high profile Republicans including Trump supporters. |
| Justin Amash, a Republican congressman from Michigan said he was reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia in the wake of the news. | Justin Amash, a Republican congressman from Michigan said he was reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia in the wake of the news. |
| Richard Burr, a Republican leading the Senate intelligence committee investigation into Russia’s influence over the 2016 presidential election, said he was “troubled by the timing and reasoning” of the decision. | Richard Burr, a Republican leading the Senate intelligence committee investigation into Russia’s influence over the 2016 presidential election, said he was “troubled by the timing and reasoning” of the decision. |
| Chuck Schumer, Democratic minority leader in the Senate, said he told Trump he was “making a very big mistake.” | Chuck Schumer, Democratic minority leader in the Senate, said he told Trump he was “making a very big mistake.” |
| Meanwhile, a CNN report claims that a grand jury has been convened and has started issuing subpoenas relating to the FBI’s Russia probe. The development, if confirmed suggests the investigation has entered a new phase. | Meanwhile, a CNN report claims that a grand jury has been convened and has started issuing subpoenas relating to the FBI’s Russia probe. The development, if confirmed suggests the investigation has entered a new phase. |
| Trump has yet to comment on the sacking. He is due to meet Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov at the White House on Wednesday. | Trump has yet to comment on the sacking. He is due to meet Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov at the White House on Wednesday. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.39am BST | at 3.39am BST |
| 3.05am BST | 3.05am BST |
| 03:05 | 03:05 |
| Republican senator for Nebraska, Ben Sasse, has put out a statement, saying the timing of Comey’s firing is troubling. | Republican senator for Nebraska, Ben Sasse, has put out a statement, saying the timing of Comey’s firing is troubling. |
| Regardless of how you think Director Comey handled the unprecedented complexities of the 2016 election cycle, the timing of this firing is very troubling. Jim Comey is an honorable public servant, and in the midst of a crisis of public trust that goes well beyond who you voted for in the presidential election, the loss of an honorable public servant is a loss for the nation. As the chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee, I have reached out to the Deputy Attorney General for clarity on his rationale for recommending this action.” | Regardless of how you think Director Comey handled the unprecedented complexities of the 2016 election cycle, the timing of this firing is very troubling. Jim Comey is an honorable public servant, and in the midst of a crisis of public trust that goes well beyond who you voted for in the presidential election, the loss of an honorable public servant is a loss for the nation. As the chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee, I have reached out to the Deputy Attorney General for clarity on his rationale for recommending this action.” |
| 3.01am BST | 3.01am BST |
| 03:01 | 03:01 |
| Julian Borger | Julian Borger |
| If confirmed, the news that a grand jury has been convened and has started issuing subpoenas suggests that the investigation into the Trump camp’s links with Moscow has entered a new phase. | If confirmed, the news that a grand jury has been convened and has started issuing subpoenas suggests that the investigation into the Trump camp’s links with Moscow has entered a new phase. |
| Under US law, grand juries (which are larger than normal 12-person court juries) have sweeping powers to compel witnesses to appear, to call for the presentation of documents and to issue indictments. | Under US law, grand juries (which are larger than normal 12-person court juries) have sweeping powers to compel witnesses to appear, to call for the presentation of documents and to issue indictments. |
| While the Republican majorities in the House and Senate could hold back congressional investigations and a new FBI director to kill off its counter-intelligence investigation, a grand jury is not under Trump’s control. He may not be able to stop the Russian collusion affair from going to court. | While the Republican majorities in the House and Senate could hold back congressional investigations and a new FBI director to kill off its counter-intelligence investigation, a grand jury is not under Trump’s control. He may not be able to stop the Russian collusion affair from going to court. |
| 2.56am BST | 2.56am BST |
| 02:56 | 02:56 |
| Marco Rubio “didn’t see it coming”. | Marco Rubio “didn’t see it coming”. |
| Marco Rubio "surprised" by Comey's firing, "but it's a decision the president's made and we'll go from here." https://t.co/PGVFL9o6DK pic.twitter.com/HWVS4DWLsR | Marco Rubio "surprised" by Comey's firing, "but it's a decision the president's made and we'll go from here." https://t.co/PGVFL9o6DK pic.twitter.com/HWVS4DWLsR |
| 2.52am BST | 2.52am BST |
| 02:52 | 02:52 |
| Front of tomorrow's @NYDailyNews: "COUP de TRUMP" pic.twitter.com/OCyoBc7Mxi | Front of tomorrow's @NYDailyNews: "COUP de TRUMP" pic.twitter.com/OCyoBc7Mxi |