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Donald Trump fires FBI director Comey Donald Trump fires FBI director Comey over handling of Clinton investigation
(35 minutes later)
The White House announced on Tuesday that Donald Trump has fired FBI director James Comey. James Comey has been fired as director of the FBI over his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, the White House announced on Tuesday.
“Today, President Donald J Trump informed FBI director James Comey that he has been terminated and removed from office,” a White House statement read. The move was condemned by one Senate Democrat as “Nixonian” and raised concerns over the FBI’s investigation into alleged links between aides to Donald Trump and Russia.
“President Trump acted based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.” In a letter to Comey, the president wrote: “While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau.
Comey’s firing comes days after he testified on Capitol Hill about the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the US election and possible connections between Russia and Trump’s campaign. “It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission.”
Comey’s decision to notify Congress shortly before the election of new developments in the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state had put him under a harsh political spotlight. The dismissal of America’s top law enforcement official came days after he testified on Capitol Hill about Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state and the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference.
On Tuesday, the FBI corrected Comey’s sworn testimony when he last week told Congress Huma Abedin, a top aide to Clinton, had sent “hundreds and thousands” of emails to her husband’s laptop, including some with classified information. Comey incorrectly testified that former Clinton aide Huma Abedin “forwarded hundreds and thousands” of emails to her husband’s laptop, including some with classified information.
More follows… 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.
In a recent interview, Clinton partly blamed Comey’s letter in late October, notifying Congress that the FBI was studying the emails on the laptop of Abedin’s husband Anthony Weiner, for costing her the presidential election.
Comey had also been fiercely criticised for holding a press conference last July in which he said Clinton would not be charged but nevertheless criticised her as “extremely careless”. The move was seen as infringing on the role of the justice department and attorney general.
The timing of Comey’s dismissal seemed to be related to the recent confirmation of Rod Rosenstein as deputy attorney general. In a memo released on Tuesday, Rosenstein wrote: “The director was wrong to usurp the attorney general’s authority on 5 July 2016, and announce his conclusion that the [Clinton] case should be closed without prosecution. It is not the function of the director to make such an announcement.”
The memo added: “Compounding the error, the director ignored another longstanding principle: we do not hold press conferences to release derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation … the director laid out his version of the facts for the news media as if it were a closing argument, but without a trial.
“It is a textbook example of what federal prosecutors and agents are taught not to do … the way the director handled the conclusion of the email investigation was wrong.”
Comey, 56, was nominated by Barack Obama in 2013 to a 10-year term. The White House said the search for his successor will begin immediately.
A statement from the White House said: “Today, President Donald J Trump informed FBI director James Comey that he has been terminated and removed from office. President Trump acted based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.”
The statement quoted Trump as saying: “The FBI is one of our Nation’s most cherished and respected institutions and today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement.”
Comey’s dismissal raises questions over the future of the FBI’s investigation into alleged ties between Trump associates and Russia during the presidential election, which US intelligence agencies believe Russia sought to influence in favour of Trump.
Robby Mook, Clinton’s former campaign manager, tweeted: “Surprised I’m saying this, but I don’t see how this bodes well for the Russia investigation.”
He added: “Twilight zone. I was as disappointed and frustrated as anyone at how the email investigation was handled. But this terrifies me.”
Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, said: “This is Nixonian. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein must immediately appoint a special counsel to continue the Trump/Russia investigation … this investigation must be independent and thorough in order to uphold our nation’s system of justice.”
Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island and a member of the Senate judiciary committee, added: “While the White House is under investigation by the FBI, firing the head of the FBI raises massive questions, and the Senate should get to the bottom of it.
“America needs to have confidence that the Department of Justice will fill its traditional role of following the facts fearlessly, and prosecuting whomever has violated the law no matter the office they hold.”
Republicans backed the president. Senate judiciary committee chairman Chuck Grassley said: “The handling of the Clinton email investigation is a clear example of how Comey’s decisions have called into question the trust and political independence of the FBI. In my efforts to get answers, the FBI, under Comey’s leadership, has been slow or failed to provide information that Comey himself pledged to provide.
“The effectiveness of the FBI depends upon the public trust and confidence. Unfortunately, this has clearly been lost.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said: “Given the recent controversies surrounding the director, I believe a fresh start will serve the FBI and the nation well. I encourage the president to select the most qualified professional available who will serve our nation’s interests.”
During his testimony last week, Comey was pressed repeatedly about the contrast between his decision to break silence on the Clinton email case while concealing the existence of a counter-intelligence investigation into Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials during the presidential election.
He argued that one had been closed with no charges made, whereas the other was highly classified and was in its “very early stages”.