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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/may/10/donald-trump-fires-fbi-director-james-comey-reaction-live

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Version 12 Version 13
James Comey fired 'days after requesting Russia inquiry resources' – live James Comey fired 'days after requesting Russia inquiry resources' – live
(35 minutes later)
8.25pm BST
20:25
Warren: 'no doubt' firing was a cover-up
Senator Elizabeth Warren tells CNN that Comey’s firing was meant “to cut off any investigation into... any connections with the Russians”:
.@SenWarren tells @mkraju "there's just no doubt" that the firing of James Comey was a cover-up https://t.co/42GirwKXNH
8.04pm BST
20:04
Russia toys with US media
Julian Borger
Sergei Lavrov came to Washington on Wednesday after an absence of four years and was absolutely shocked – shocked! – to hear that Russia had been accused of meddling in US internal affairs.
There also seemed to have been some fuss about the FBI director James Comey’s abrupt dismissal the night before, in the midst of a multi-pronged investigation into Russian interference.
“Was he fired? You’re kidding! You’re kidding!” the Russian foreign minister exclaimed when a journalist asked him whether Comey’s downfall might throw a shadow over the Russian’s visit. The surprise was archly theatrical of course, delivered with the knowing smirk of Captain Renault expressing astonishment at gambling going on in the casino in Casablanca.
While Lavrov toyed with the press, his host, Rex Tillerson, stood by smiling, silent and upstaged outside his seventh floor office before giving the press a little wave and walking away with the Russian for a closed door meeting, then taking him to see Donald Trump at the White House.
Later that morning, Lavrov would shrug off the political crisis surrounding the Trump campaign’s contacts with the Russian government during the election, and the US intelligence community’s conclusion that Moscow had sought to skew the vote in Trump’s favour, as mere “fake news” that humiliated the US.
Read the full piece:
8.02pm BST
20:02
Spotlight shines on deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein
Lois Beckett
The man who wrote the memo providing Donald Trump with the rationale he used to fire FBI director James Comey is a career prosecutor with a reputation for being “honorable” and surprisingly nonpartisan – and he has only been working for the Trump administration for two weeks.
Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s deputy attorney general, was confirmed by the Senate in late April with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans. He was praised as a trustworthy choice for a fraught position overseeing the investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election – a role that the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, had to recuse himself from after failing to disclose his meetings with Russia’s ambassador during the campaign.
Read the full piece:
7.33pm BST7.33pm BST
19:3319:33
If Comey does testify before the senate next week, it will be in a closed session, according to a spokesman for intelligence committee chairman Richard Burr.If Comey does testify before the senate next week, it will be in a closed session, according to a spokesman for intelligence committee chairman Richard Burr.
That means we wouldn’t get to watch and wouldn’t know what Comey said.That means we wouldn’t get to watch and wouldn’t know what Comey said.
The Senate Intel committee has invited Comey to meet Tuesday in *closed* session, Burr spokesperson Becca Glover Watkins confirmsThe Senate Intel committee has invited Comey to meet Tuesday in *closed* session, Burr spokesperson Becca Glover Watkins confirms
7.31pm BST7.31pm BST
19:3119:31
Had Comey lost the confidence of the FBI rank-and-file? The White House asserts he had. Reporting suggests he had not.Had Comey lost the confidence of the FBI rank-and-file? The White House asserts he had. Reporting suggests he had not.
White House says they've talked to "countless" FBI agents that had lost faith in Comey. I haven't talked to anyone in the FBI who says that.White House says they've talked to "countless" FBI agents that had lost faith in Comey. I haven't talked to anyone in the FBI who says that.
Read also: FBI agents in tears as news of Comey’s firing spreadRead also: FBI agents in tears as news of Comey’s firing spread
7.15pm BST7.15pm BST
19:1519:15
Q: Who’s the next FBI director going to be?Q: Who’s the next FBI director going to be?
A: “There are several individuals being considered and the first step will be selecting the interim director... as of today, the department of justice is handling the first step.”A: “There are several individuals being considered and the first step will be selecting the interim director... as of today, the department of justice is handling the first step.”
7.14pm BST7.14pm BST
19:1419:14
White House: Clinton 'would have fired Comey immediately'White House: Clinton 'would have fired Comey immediately'
Huckabee Sanders is asked whether Comey’s firing won’t make bipartisan comity, and thus legislative scores, more difficult to achieve:Huckabee Sanders is asked whether Comey’s firing won’t make bipartisan comity, and thus legislative scores, more difficult to achieve:
Frankly I’m surprised that it did create a divide since you’ve had so many Republicans and Democrats call for Comey to be gone.Frankly I’m surprised that it did create a divide since you’ve had so many Republicans and Democrats call for Comey to be gone.
She adds: “If Hillary Clinton won, and thank God she didn’t, she would have fired Comey immediately.”She adds: “If Hillary Clinton won, and thank God she didn’t, she would have fired Comey immediately.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 7.48pm BSTat 7.48pm BST
7.10pm BST7.10pm BST
19:1019:10
Huckabee Sanders, on frustration at the decision among the FBI rank-and-file:Huckabee Sanders, on frustration at the decision among the FBI rank-and-file:
We’ve heard from countless members of the FBI that say very different things. The president will be meeting with acting director McCabe to discuss [morale at the FBI]” and might visit the bureau.We’ve heard from countless members of the FBI that say very different things. The president will be meeting with acting director McCabe to discuss [morale at the FBI]” and might visit the bureau.
UpdatedUpdated
at 7.48pm BSTat 7.48pm BST
7.09pm BST7.09pm BST
19:0919:09
White House: special prosecutor unnecessaryWhite House: special prosecutor unnecessary
Huckabee Sanders on a possible special prosecutor: “We don’t think it’s necessary. You’ve got a House committee, a Senate committee and the Department of Justice.”Huckabee Sanders on a possible special prosecutor: “We don’t think it’s necessary. You’ve got a House committee, a Senate committee and the Department of Justice.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 7.47pm BSTat 7.47pm BST
7.07pm BST7.07pm BST
19:0719:07
Huckabee Sanders, on how Comey was fired (via a letter carried to the FBI by Trump’s personal bodyguard):Huckabee Sanders, on how Comey was fired (via a letter carried to the FBI by Trump’s personal bodyguard):
He followed the proper protocol in that process which is handwritten notification. No matter how you fire someone, it’s never an easy process.He followed the proper protocol in that process which is handwritten notification. No matter how you fire someone, it’s never an easy process.
She says she’s not aware of Trump and Comey having spoken.She says she’s not aware of Trump and Comey having spoken.
On whether Trump was aware of Comey’s request for further resources for the Russia inquiry:On whether Trump was aware of Comey’s request for further resources for the Russia inquiry:
Not that I’m aware of, ask the justice department.Not that I’m aware of, ask the justice department.
UpdatedUpdated
at 7.47pm BSTat 7.47pm BST
7.05pm BST
19:05
Huckabee Sanders says she can’t comment on the reported subpoenas seeking info from Michael Flynn associates.
On the question of deciding whether to appoint a special prosecutor, she says: “I believe that would fall to the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein.”
Huckabee Sanders says it’s a good thing “to have Comey out of the way so there’s someone leading this process that everybody across the board has respect and confidence in”.
Updated
at 7.47pm BST
7.03pm BST
19:03
Huckabee Sanders, on Trump’s view of the Russian investigations in Congress and the FBI:
He wants them to continue with whatever they see appropriate and fit... we encourage them to complete this investigation so we can put it behind us.. .there’s no evidence between the Trump campaign and Russia.”
Updated
at 7.47pm BST
7.02pm BST
19:02
Q: Can we expect more firings?
A: “Not that I’m aware of today.”
7.02pm BST
19:02
Huckabee Sanders won’t describe when Comey told Trump that Trump was not under investigation. Trump’s letter to Comey said Comey told him three times that he, Trump, was not personally under investigation.
Updated
at 7.46pm BST
7.01pm BST
19:01
Huckabee Sanders is trashing Comey’s leadership of the FBI and conduct within the justice department.
Then she denies that the meetings with Lavrov and Kissinger had been long-planned:
These were meetings that have been on the books for a while. They didn’t just happen... there’s not a strategy to go after the Democrats on this... the Democrats are trying to politicize and take away something he should be doing.
When was the decision to fire made?
He made the decision with the final decision to move forward with it was yesterday” but “he had been considering” firing Comey ever since he took office and “there was no request by him to have a review at the department of justice.”
Updated
at 7.46pm BST
6.58pm BST
18:58
Huckabee Sanders bypasses a question about Russia, saying she’s sure we’ll get back to that.
Updated
at 7.46pm BST
6.58pm BST
18:58
Comey “took a stick of dynamite and threw it in the Department of Justice” by calling a press conference last July and saying there was no prosecutable case against Hillary Clinton, Sanders says.
When did Trump lose confidence in Comey?
Huckabee Sanders:
I think it’s been an erosion of confidence. I think that director Comey has shown in the last several months and the last year a lot of missteps and mistakes ... frankly I think it’s startling that Democrats aren’t celebrating this.
Updated
at 7.46pm BST
6.56pm BST
18:56
White House: Trump asked Rosenstein to put concerns in writing
Question: Did the president direct Rosenstein to write this memo?
Answer: “No ... but he did have a conversation with the deputy attorney general ... [and the attorney general] ... [Trump] asked them to put those concerns in writing ... he asked them to put that recommendation in writing, but he came to him on his [sic] own.”
Updated
at 7.00pm BST
6.54pm BST
18:54
White House briefing begins
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has begun the White House briefing, for which she is filling Sean Spicer’s role – unclear why. You can watch here on CSPAN.
6.49pm BST
18:49
Sessions, Rosenstein met with Trump on Monday – report
Attorney general Jeff Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein met with Trump at the White House on Monday and told him he should fire Comey, McClatchy reports without citing sources.
The exclusive report makes Trump’s decision to fire Comey sound like a reaction to a concrete justice department recommendation.
The report says Trump “called a handful of senators of both parties to inform them of the news”.
Updated
at 7.01pm BST