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| Comey fired: Why might Trump have axed FBI chief? | Comey fired: Why might Trump have axed FBI chief? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| "You are hereby terminated." | "You are hereby terminated." |
| With those words, President Donald J Trump became only the second commander-in-chief to fire his FBI director. | With those words, President Donald J Trump became only the second commander-in-chief to fire his FBI director. |
| He and officials from the Department of Justice were clear why they felt James Comey had to go - more on that later. | He and officials from the Department of Justice were clear why they felt James Comey had to go - more on that later. |
| Democrats, however, have their doubts over the timing. And reports in the meantime do indicate there was more going on. | Democrats, however, have their doubts over the timing. And reports in the meantime do indicate there was more going on. |
| So what are the possible reasons for his departure? | So what are the possible reasons for his departure? |
| 1) The official reason - the Clinton emails | 1) The official reason - the Clinton emails |
| President Trump was given letters by his Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Mr Sessions' deputy, Rod J Rosenstein, outlining what they saw as failures in Mr Comey's time in office. | |
| Mr Rosenstein's letter says "the FBI's reputation and credibility have suffered substantial damage, and it has affected the entire Department of Justice". | Mr Rosenstein's letter says "the FBI's reputation and credibility have suffered substantial damage, and it has affected the entire Department of Justice". |
| His letter focuses on the fallout from an FBI investigation, now closed, into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server to store sensitive information while secretary of state. | His letter focuses on the fallout from an FBI investigation, now closed, into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server to store sensitive information while secretary of state. |
| "I cannot defend the Director's handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton's emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken," Mr Rosenstein goes on to say. | "I cannot defend the Director's handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton's emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken," Mr Rosenstein goes on to say. |
| So did Mr Comey act correctly? | So did Mr Comey act correctly? |
| "The director was wrong to usurp the Attorney General's authority on July 5, 2016, and announce his conclusion that the case should be closed without prosecution," Mr Rosenstein's letter says. | "The director was wrong to usurp the Attorney General's authority on July 5, 2016, and announce his conclusion that the case should be closed without prosecution," Mr Rosenstein's letter says. |
| Mr Comey chose to announce there would be no investigation because, the letter says, "he believed Attorney General Loretta Lynch had a conflict". | |
| While this was not customary, Mr Comey explained why he took the responsibility ahead of Ms Lynch. He said he did it because she had recently generated adverse headlines by having a meeting with ex-President Bill Clinton on an airport runway. They said it was a casual encounter but she was accused of a conflict of interest. | |
| It is also unusual for the FBI to go public with an investigation, especially during an election campaign. Mr Comey did that not once but twice. | |
| He justified it by saying if he had not come forward, he could have been guilty of concealment. | |
| What was Clinton FBI probe about? | What was Clinton FBI probe about? |
| Mrs Clinton's supporters cried foul when it emerged that the Trump election team was also under investigation by the FBI, but Mr Comey never divulged that until a long time after the election. | Mrs Clinton's supporters cried foul when it emerged that the Trump election team was also under investigation by the FBI, but Mr Comey never divulged that until a long time after the election. |
| One key question though - if this was indeed the real reason Mr Comey was fired, why did the White House wait until now? The Clinton investigation was closed in early November, and Mr Trump has been in office since 20 January. | One key question though - if this was indeed the real reason Mr Comey was fired, why did the White House wait until now? The Clinton investigation was closed in early November, and Mr Trump has been in office since 20 January. |
| 2) Russia | 2) Russia |
| Mr Comey's public profile had risen recently in relation to the FBI's ongoing investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 election (as well as possible links between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia). | Mr Comey's public profile had risen recently in relation to the FBI's ongoing investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 election (as well as possible links between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia). |
| In fact, Mr Comey confirmed that such an investigation existed only on 20 March, when he spoke before a congressional intelligence committee. | In fact, Mr Comey confirmed that such an investigation existed only on 20 March, when he spoke before a congressional intelligence committee. |
| Nothing has come from this investigation yet; Mr Comey said it was "very complex" and that he could not give a timetable for its completion. | |
| But US intelligence agencies concluded in a January report that Russian President Vladimir Putin did order the hack against the DNC. And the Russia scandal has already claimed one Trump official - former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was fired for not giving a correct account of his meetings with a Russian official. | But US intelligence agencies concluded in a January report that Russian President Vladimir Putin did order the hack against the DNC. And the Russia scandal has already claimed one Trump official - former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was fired for not giving a correct account of his meetings with a Russian official. |
| The White House has consistently denied having links with Russia. But after Mr Comey's dismissal, Politico reported that the president "had grown enraged by the Russia investigation" and was "frustrated by his inability to control the mushrooming narrative around Russia". | The White House has consistently denied having links with Russia. But after Mr Comey's dismissal, Politico reported that the president "had grown enraged by the Russia investigation" and was "frustrated by his inability to control the mushrooming narrative around Russia". |
| "He repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn't disappear and demanded they speak out for him," Politico reported. "He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said." | "He repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn't disappear and demanded they speak out for him," Politico reported. "He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said." |
| Mr Comey had been due to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee to speak on Russia on Thursday - its chairman, Richard Burr, said he was "troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey's termination". | |
| Democratic former presidential contender Bernie Sanders also highlighted the fact the decision came a day after former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates told a Senate committee of the concerns she had over Mr Flynn's Russia ties. He called the timing "deeply troubling". | |
| 3) He simply didn't like Comey | 3) He simply didn't like Comey |
| "He's become more famous than me!" Mr Trump said when beckoning Mr Comey at a January meeting, sending an air-kiss his way. | "He's become more famous than me!" Mr Trump said when beckoning Mr Comey at a January meeting, sending an air-kiss his way. |
| But could this have been a problem, rather than a compliment? | But could this have been a problem, rather than a compliment? |
| Citing unnamed White House officials on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported the two were a poor match, and that Mr Trump did not like the increased media attention on Mr Comey. | Citing unnamed White House officials on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported the two were a poor match, and that Mr Trump did not like the increased media attention on Mr Comey. |
| "He viewed Mr Comey as eager to step in front of TV cameras and questioned whether his expanding media profile was warping his view of the Russia investigation, the officials said. | "He viewed Mr Comey as eager to step in front of TV cameras and questioned whether his expanding media profile was warping his view of the Russia investigation, the officials said. |
| The fact Mr Comey had not publicly talked down links between the Trump campaign and Russia was also a source of tension, the Journal reported. | The fact Mr Comey had not publicly talked down links between the Trump campaign and Russia was also a source of tension, the Journal reported. |
| 4) Something in between, or neither of the above | 4) Something in between, or neither of the above |
| Only one person knows for sure: the President of the United States. | Only one person knows for sure: the President of the United States. |