This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/08/james-comey-firing-fbi

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Comey details Trump's 'lies' and reaffirms belief of Russian meddling in election Comey details Trump's 'lies' and reaffirms belief of Russian meddling in election
(35 minutes later)
The scandal of Donald Trump’s alleged ties to Russia deepened on Thursday when James Comey, the man he fired as director of the FBI, branded the US president a liar.The scandal of Donald Trump’s alleged ties to Russia deepened on Thursday when James Comey, the man he fired as director of the FBI, branded the US president a liar.
At a hearing that riveted Washington and millions across the United States, James Comey said he believed he had been sacked because of the FBI’s investigation into Moscow’s meddling in last year’s presidential election.At a hearing that riveted Washington and millions across the United States, James Comey said he believed he had been sacked because of the FBI’s investigation into Moscow’s meddling in last year’s presidential election.
Comey’s explosive testimony over nearly three hours asserted:Comey’s explosive testimony over nearly three hours asserted:
The Trump administration lied to smear the reputation of Comey and the FBI following his dismissal;The Trump administration lied to smear the reputation of Comey and the FBI following his dismissal;
Comey documented every meeting he had with Trump because he thought the president might lie about what had taken place;Comey documented every meeting he had with Trump because he thought the president might lie about what had taken place;
He passed details of the meetings – via a friend – to the press in the hope of spurring the appointment of a special counsel;He passed details of the meetings – via a friend – to the press in the hope of spurring the appointment of a special counsel;
He believes that Trump directed him to shut down the FBI’s investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.He believes that Trump directed him to shut down the FBI’s investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Comey also offered a stark view of the underlying issue – “massive” Russian interference in the US election. “There should be no fuzz on this whatsoever. The Russians interfered in our election during the 2016 cycle. They did it with purpose. They did it with sophistication. They did it with overwhelming technical efforts.”Comey also offered a stark view of the underlying issue – “massive” Russian interference in the US election. “There should be no fuzz on this whatsoever. The Russians interfered in our election during the 2016 cycle. They did it with purpose. They did it with sophistication. They did it with overwhelming technical efforts.”
In one of the most gripping chapters yet of the long-running Trump/Russia saga, Comey testified under oath to the Senate intelligence committee on Capitol Hill. Bars in New York and Washington DC opened as America’s three major TV networks broadcast live coverage of the hearing, which earned comparisons with Watergate.In one of the most gripping chapters yet of the long-running Trump/Russia saga, Comey testified under oath to the Senate intelligence committee on Capitol Hill. Bars in New York and Washington DC opened as America’s three major TV networks broadcast live coverage of the hearing, which earned comparisons with Watergate.
His evidence did not deliver a knock-out blow to the Trump presidency, but it nevertheless cast the billionaire Republican’s integrity in a withering light.His evidence did not deliver a knock-out blow to the Trump presidency, but it nevertheless cast the billionaire Republican’s integrity in a withering light.
Comey said of his own dismissal: “The administration chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI by saying that the organisation was in disarray, that it was poorly led, that the workforce had lost confidence in its leader.”Comey said of his own dismissal: “The administration chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI by saying that the organisation was in disarray, that it was poorly led, that the workforce had lost confidence in its leader.”
“Those were lies, plain and simple, and I’m so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them, and I’m so sorry the American people were told them.”“Those were lies, plain and simple, and I’m so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them, and I’m so sorry the American people were told them.”
He told the panel: “It’s my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation. I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted. That is a very big deal.”He told the panel: “It’s my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation. I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted. That is a very big deal.”
In a statement for the record released on Wednesday, Comey detailed several meetings with Trump this year, claiming that Trump demanded his “loyalty” and directly pushed him to “lift the cloud” of suspicion by declaring publicly the president was not the target of the Russia investigation.In a statement for the record released on Wednesday, Comey detailed several meetings with Trump this year, claiming that Trump demanded his “loyalty” and directly pushed him to “lift the cloud” of suspicion by declaring publicly the president was not the target of the Russia investigation.
In his testimony, Comey explained that he documented each meeting because he thought Trump might be dishonest about what had taken place - a practice he never felt obliged to undertake with former presidents George W Bush or Barack Obama. In his testimony, Comey explained that he documented each meeting because he thought Trump might be dishonest about what had taken place – a practice he never felt obliged to undertake with former presidents George W Bush or Barack Obama.
“I was honestly concerned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting, and so I thought it really important to document,” he said of their first conversation at Trump Tower in New York in January.“I was honestly concerned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting, and so I thought it really important to document,” he said of their first conversation at Trump Tower in New York in January.
He also described a meeting in the Oval Office in February, when Trump allegedly cleared the room of officials, including the attorney general, and discussed the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s links to Russia. “I hope you can let this go,” the president allegedly said.He also described a meeting in the Oval Office in February, when Trump allegedly cleared the room of officials, including the attorney general, and discussed the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s links to Russia. “I hope you can let this go,” the president allegedly said.
In a memorable exchange, Senator Angus King of Maine asked: “When a president of the United States in the Oval Office says something like ‘I hope’ or ‘I suggest’ or ‘would you,’ do you take that as a directive?”In a memorable exchange, Senator Angus King of Maine asked: “When a president of the United States in the Oval Office says something like ‘I hope’ or ‘I suggest’ or ‘would you,’ do you take that as a directive?”
Comey replied: “Yes, it rings in my ear as kind of, ‘Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?’” – a reference to King Henry’s II’s kiss of death to Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket.Comey replied: “Yes, it rings in my ear as kind of, ‘Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?’” – a reference to King Henry’s II’s kiss of death to Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket.
Comey also revealed that he asked a friend to leak to the New York Times details of his memo about the Oval Office encounter“because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel”.Comey also revealed that he asked a friend to leak to the New York Times details of his memo about the Oval Office encounter“because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel”.
The former FBI chief was testifying under oath to the Senate intelligence committee on Russia’s interference in the presidential election in a packed room of the Senate’s Hart building on Capitol Hill, with millions believed to be watching on TV and online. The former FBI chief was testifying under oath to the Senate intelligence committee on Russia’s interference in the presidential election in a packed room of the Senate’s Hart building on Capitol Hill, with millions watching on TV and online.
Comey entered the room at 10.02am to a chorus of clicking cameras, shook hands with chairman Richard Burr and sat behind a table, staring ahead inscrutably, his hands pressed together.Comey entered the room at 10.02am to a chorus of clicking cameras, shook hands with chairman Richard Burr and sat behind a table, staring ahead inscrutably, his hands pressed together.
Those were lies, plain and simpleThose were lies, plain and simple
“So it confused me when I saw on television that the president fired me because of the Russia investigation.” Comey said he was puzzled when the dismissal was attributed to his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, only for Trump to tell an interviewer it was because of Russia.
Comey was also puzzled, he said, when the dismissal was attributed to his handling of a separate investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. Comey said: “It’s my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation,” telling senators: “I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.”
Later, taking questions from senators, Comey said: “It’s my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation,” Comey told the senators. “I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.”
Comey set out the high stakes of the Russia investigation in passionate remarks about an attack on America’s way of life.Comey set out the high stakes of the Russia investigation in passionate remarks about an attack on America’s way of life.
“The reason this is such a big deal is we have this big, messy, wonderful country where we fight with each other all the time, but nobody tells us what to think, what to fight about, what to vote for except other Americans,” he said. “And that’s wonderful and often painful. But we’re talking about a foreign government using technical intrusion and lots of other methods tried to shape the way we think, we vote, we act. That is a big deal.“The reason this is such a big deal is we have this big, messy, wonderful country where we fight with each other all the time, but nobody tells us what to think, what to fight about, what to vote for except other Americans,” he said. “And that’s wonderful and often painful. But we’re talking about a foreign government using technical intrusion and lots of other methods tried to shape the way we think, we vote, we act. That is a big deal.
“And people need to recognize it. It’s not about Republicans or Democrats. They’re coming after America, which I hope we all love equally. They want to undermine our credibility in the face of the world. They think that this great experiment of ours is a threat to them, and so they’re going to try to run it down and dirty it up as much as possible. “And people need to recognize it. It’s not about Republicans or Democrats. They’re coming after America, which I hope we all love equally. They want to undermine our credibility in the face of the world. They think that this great experiment of ours is a threat to them, and so they’re going to try to run it down and dirty it up as much as possible.”
“That’s what this is about. They will be back, because we remain – as difficult as we can be with each other – we remain that shining city on the hill, and they don’t like it.”
The former FBI chief faced detailed questioning about a series of meetings with Trump he set out in his statement for the record, which was published by the committee on Wednesday.The former FBI chief faced detailed questioning about a series of meetings with Trump he set out in his statement for the record, which was published by the committee on Wednesday.
One was a private dinner with Trump at the White House in January. Comey said he walked away feeling like the president was “looking to get something in exchange for granting my request to stay in the job”.One was a private dinner with Trump at the White House in January. Comey said he walked away feeling like the president was “looking to get something in exchange for granting my request to stay in the job”.
He also discussed a meeting in the Oval Office in February, when Trump allegedly cleared the room of officials, including the attorney general, and discussed the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s links to Russia. “I hope you can let this go,” Trump allegedly said.He also discussed a meeting in the Oval Office in February, when Trump allegedly cleared the room of officials, including the attorney general, and discussed the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s links to Russia. “I hope you can let this go,” Trump allegedly said.
Senator James Risch of Idaho zeroed in on the word “hope”, asking: “He did not direct you to let it go?”Senator James Risch of Idaho zeroed in on the word “hope”, asking: “He did not direct you to let it go?”
Comey acknowledged: “Not in his words, no.”Comey acknowledged: “Not in his words, no.”
Risch asked: “Again, those words are not an order? He said: ‘I hope.’”Risch asked: “Again, those words are not an order? He said: ‘I hope.’”
Comey replied: “The reason I keep saying his words is, I took it as a direction. This is the president of the United States. I took it as a direction.”Comey replied: “The reason I keep saying his words is, I took it as a direction. This is the president of the United States. I took it as a direction.”
Risch demanded: “You don’t know anyone who has been charged for hoping something?”Risch demanded: “You don’t know anyone who has been charged for hoping something?”
Comey: “As I sit here I don’t.”Comey: “As I sit here I don’t.”
Trump’s son, Donald Jr, played up the distinction, tweeting: “Hoping and telling are two very different things, you would think that a guy like Comey would know that. #givemeabreak.” Comey also revealed that he was behind the leak to the New York Times of the details of his memo describing Trump asking him to let the Flynn inquiry go. He said his motivation in asking a friend to share the content of the memo was to prompt the appointment of a special counsel to take over the Russia investigation – special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed the next day.
Comey also revealed that he was behind the leak to the New York Times of the details of his memo describing Trump asking him to let the Flynn inquiry go. He said his motivation was to prompt the appointment of a special counsel to take over the Russia investigation.
Comey said that he “asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter... I asked a close friend of mine to do it.”
Comey did this hoping to help prompt the appointment of a special counsel, he added. (Special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed the next day.)
He was motivated by Trump’s tweet implying that there were recordings of their meetings. Comey said he “woke up in the middle of the night” in a panic about the president’s tweet.He was motivated by Trump’s tweet implying that there were recordings of their meetings. Comey said he “woke up in the middle of the night” in a panic about the president’s tweet.
In a later line of questioning, Comey was again asked why he chose to leak his notes to the media. “As a private citizen, I felt free to share that. I thought it was very important to get it out,” he said.In a later line of questioning, Comey was again asked why he chose to leak his notes to the media. “As a private citizen, I felt free to share that. I thought it was very important to get it out,” he said.
In an opening statement before Comey spoke, Burr, of North Carolina, noted that allegations had been “swirling” in the press for weeks and said this was an opportunity for Comey to set the record straight. Asked whether he thought Trump had tried to obstruct justice or merely seek a way for Mike Flynn to save face,Comey replied: “I don’t think it’s for me to say whether the conversation I had with the president was an effort to obstruct. I took it as a very disturbing thing and very concerning, but that’s a conclusion that I’m sure the special counsel will work towards to try and understand what the intention was there and whether that’s an offence.”
Burr asked: “In your estimation was General Flynn at that time in serious legal jeopardy, and in addition to that, do you sense that the president was trying to obstruct justice or just seek for a way for Mike Flynn to save face given that he had already been fired?”
Comey replied: “I don’t think it’s for me to say whether the conversation I had with the president was an effort to obstruct. I took it as a very disturbing thing and very concerning, but that’s a conclusion that I’m sure the special counsel will work towards to try and understand what the intention was there and whether that’s an offence.”
Comey’s written testimony disclosed that Trump demanded his “loyalty” and directly pushed him to “lift the cloud” of investigation by declaring publicly the president was not the target of the investigation into his campaign’s Russia ties.Comey’s written testimony disclosed that Trump demanded his “loyalty” and directly pushed him to “lift the cloud” of investigation by declaring publicly the president was not the target of the investigation into his campaign’s Russia ties.
Democrats are keen to establish whether Trump’s actions amounted to obstruction of justice, while Republicans have seized on Comey’s confirmation that he assured the president more than once that he was not a target of the FBI’s investigation.Democrats are keen to establish whether Trump’s actions amounted to obstruction of justice, while Republicans have seized on Comey’s confirmation that he assured the president more than once that he was not a target of the FBI’s investigation.
Trump’s lawyer has claimed that the Comey statement “vindicated” the president.
National spectacle
The hearing was a national spectacle covered by major TV networks, prompting bars in Washington DC to open early for live screenings. At sideBar in New York City, a silent crowd was hooked on the words of senators. The bar broadcast the hearing on 16 screens as more than two dozen people watched.
Catherine Talese, a 49-year-old native New Yorker, said the sports bar setting did not reflect the gravity of the event. “We’d prefer to have our president and government be just,” Talese said. “I don’t think we’re just enjoying politics as sports.”
Republicans on the intelligence committee sought to shore up Trump’s defences. Marco Rubio commented: “The only thing that’s never been leaked is the fact that the president has never been under investigation.”
Trump fired Comey as director of the FBI on 9 May, admitting later that the Russia investigation was on his mind at the time. The president later tweeted: “James Comey better hope that there are no “tapes” of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!”Trump fired Comey as director of the FBI on 9 May, admitting later that the Russia investigation was on his mind at the time. The president later tweeted: “James Comey better hope that there are no “tapes” of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!”
Comey said on Thursday: “I’ve seen the tweet about tapes. Lordy, I hope there are tapes.”Comey said on Thursday: “I’ve seen the tweet about tapes. Lordy, I hope there are tapes.”
He added later: “The president surely knows whether he taped and, if he did, my feelings aren’t hurt. Release all the tapes: I’m good with it.”He added later: “The president surely knows whether he taped and, if he did, my feelings aren’t hurt. Release all the tapes: I’m good with it.”
Trump managed to refrain from tweeting during the hearing, but his personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz in a statement tried to turn the tables on Comey, saying he had “admitted that he unilaterally and surreptitiously made unauthorised disclosures to the press of privileged communications with the president”.Trump managed to refrain from tweeting during the hearing, but his personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz in a statement tried to turn the tables on Comey, saying he had “admitted that he unilaterally and surreptitiously made unauthorised disclosures to the press of privileged communications with the president”.
Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters: “I can definitively say the president is not a liar. I think it is frankly insulting that question would be asked.”Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters: “I can definitively say the president is not a liar. I think it is frankly insulting that question would be asked.”
Additional reporting by Amanda Holpuch in New York