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White House unaware of deputy lawyer's 'threat to quit over Comey' FBI acting boss Andrew McCabe stands by Russia probe
(about 1 hour later)
The White House says it is unaware whether the deputy attorney general threatened to quit after he was blamed for the FBI chief's sacking. The FBI investigation into alleged links between Russia and the Donald Trump election team will carry on unimpeded by the sacking of its head, James Comey, his successor has said.
Rod Rosenstein reportedly was on the verge of resigning after the White House cast him as the prime catalyst to fire James Comey, US media reported. The firing has sparked a storm of criticism but Acting Director Andrew McCabe told a Senate committee it had not affected the work of the FBI.
He detailed Mr Comey's "serious mistakes" in a memo to President Donald Trump, just prior to the firing. And he vowed to speak up if there were any political interference in future.
The sacking of Mr Comey has ignited a firestorm of criticism. Critics accuse Mr Trump of firing Mr Comey for leading the Russia inquiry.
Democrats have called for a special prosecutor to take over the probe of alleged links between the Trump election team and Moscow, which Mr Comey was heading. There are reports the ex-FBI boss had asked for more resources to conduct the probe and Democrats in the US Senate have formally requested details from the Justice Department on any additional funding he requested.
Some Democratic senators say they believed the reports to be true, although a Justice Department spokeswoman rejected them as "totally false".
Democrats have also called for a special prosecutor to take over the Russia investigation.
But the White House maintains Mr Comey was fired because his competence had come into question over the way he handled the case of Democratic Party election candidate Hillary Clinton's emails, and that he had lost the confidence of his staff.
Mr McCabe contradicted this by telling the Senate Intelligence Committee the Mr Comey had the support of the rank and file.
In other developments:
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was reportedly on the verge of resigning after the White House cast him as the prime catalyst for firing Mr Comey, US media reported.
He detailed Mr Comey's "serious mistakes" in a memo to President Trump, just prior to the firing.
Mr Rosenstein reportedly made his threat unless the White House conveyed that the decision began with the president, according to US media.Mr Rosenstein reportedly made his threat unless the White House conveyed that the decision began with the president, according to US media.
"I'm not aware of his threatening to resign," White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on ABC's programme Good Morning America on Thursday."I'm not aware of his threatening to resign," White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on ABC's programme Good Morning America on Thursday.
She maintained that Mr Trump "very much had been thinking about letting Mr Comey go since 9 November".She maintained that Mr Trump "very much had been thinking about letting Mr Comey go since 9 November".
Lawmakers in Washington are reeling after the White House abruptly removed Mr Comey on Tuesday for his handling of the inquiry over Hillary Clinton's emails. Rosenstein's way out - Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington
Critics accuse the Republican president of firing the nation's top law enforcement official because he was leading the Russia inquiry. Rod Rosenstein brought a reputation for even-handedness and probity with him to the job of deputy attorney general. Two weeks later, that reputation is being put to the test.
Senior Democrats have also said they believed Mr Comey had recently asked the justice department for more resources for the FBI Trump-Russia investigation, which they say could have prompted his dismissal. Such is life in the Trump White House, where every appointee and aide is just one tweet, event or press conference away from the maelstrom.
The White House has rejected the calls to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin over last year's election. On Tuesday night, as the administration press shop scrambled to explain the president's surprise decision to sack his FBI director, Trump supporters leaned hard on Mr Rosenstein's credentials to paint the move as a nonpartisan decision based on Mr Comey's overall job performance.
Acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, the former deputy director, was due to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday on the panel's annual hearing on worldwide threats. The deputy attorney general reportedly balked at the characterisation that he was the driving force behind Mr Comey's dismissal, however.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has also invited Mr Comey to testify next week. Mr Rosenstein's threat to resign is different than actually packing bags, of course, and his fate at this point is still tethered firmly to the president he chose to serve.
In a farewell letter to staff, Mr Comey said he would not "spend time on the decision or the way it was executed". There is a way out, though. Due to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' recusal on the matter, it's Mr Rosenstein's call whether to appoint a special counsel to head the Justice Department's Russia investigation. It may be the one card he can play to sidestep the growing frenzy that spins around him.
"I have long believed that a president can fire an FBI Director for any reason, or for no reason at all," he wrote.
President Trump defended his actions on Wednesday, saying Mr Comey was fired "because he was not doing a good job".President Trump defended his actions on Wednesday, saying Mr Comey was fired "because he was not doing a good job".
But Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein said she "understood" that Mr Comey had asked Mr Rosenstein for more resources for the FBI investigation.
Another Democratic Senator, Richard Durbin, told US media be believed the reports to be true, although Justice department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores rejected them as "totally false".
Republicans and Democrats vowed the House and Senate Intelligence Committees' investigations into the Russia claims would continue.Republicans and Democrats vowed the House and Senate Intelligence Committees' investigations into the Russia claims would continue.
The Senate Intelligence Committee moved forward by issuing a rare subpoena for documents from Michael Flynn, Mr Trump's former national security adviser, after he rejected its request to do so in April.The Senate Intelligence Committee moved forward by issuing a rare subpoena for documents from Michael Flynn, Mr Trump's former national security adviser, after he rejected its request to do so in April.
Mr Flynn, a retired army lieutenant-general, misled the White House about discussing US sanctions against Russia with the country's envoy, Sergei Kislyak, before Donald Trump's inauguration in January.Mr Flynn, a retired army lieutenant-general, misled the White House about discussing US sanctions against Russia with the country's envoy, Sergei Kislyak, before Donald Trump's inauguration in January.
His links to Russia are being scrutinised by the FBI and the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, as part of wider investigations into claims Moscow sought to tip the election in favour of Mr Trump, and into contacts between Russia and members of the president's campaign team.His links to Russia are being scrutinised by the FBI and the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, as part of wider investigations into claims Moscow sought to tip the election in favour of Mr Trump, and into contacts between Russia and members of the president's campaign team.
At the centre of the storm - Rod RosensteinAt the centre of the storm - Rod Rosenstein
Read more about Rod RosensteinRead more about Rod Rosenstein