Comey says Trump fired him to undermine FBI Russia investigation

[webfact]

Comey says Trump fired him to undermine FBI Russia investigation

By Patricia Zengerle and Susan Cornwell

 

Former FBI Director James Comey arrives to testify before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former FBI director James Comey accused President Donald Trump on Thursday of firing him to try to undermine its investigation into possible collusion by his campaign team with Russia's alleged efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.

 

In the most eagerly anticipated U.S. congressional hearing in years, Comey told lawmakers the Trump administration had lied and defamed him and the Federal Bureau of Investigation after the president dismissed him on May 9.

 

During more than two hours of testimony, Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee he believed Trump had directed him in February to drop an FBI probe into the Republican president's former national security adviser Michael Flynn as part of the broader Russia investigation.

 

Comey would not say whether he thought the president sought to obstruct justice, but added it would be up to special counsel Robert Mueller, who is now investigating the Russia allegations, "to sort that out."

 

"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, very concerning," Comey testified.

 

Sitting alone at a small table facing a bank of senators who fired question after question, Comey gave short, deliberative answers. He painted a picture of an overbearing president who he did not trust and who pressured him to stop the FBI Flynn probe.

 

Trump critics say any efforts by the president to hinder an FBI probe could amount to obstruction of justice. Such an offence potentially could lead to Trump being impeached by Congress, although his fellow Republicans who control the Senate and House of Representatives have shown little appetite for such a move.

 

Comey did not make major new revelations about any links between Trump or his associates and Russia, an issue that has dogged the president's first months in office and distracted from his policy goals such as overhauling the U.S. healthcare system and making tax cuts.

 

Nevertheless, the Russia matter likely will continue to overshadow Trump's presidency, especially as the FBI probe has already ensnared not only Flynn but also Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has had to recuse himself from the investigation.

 

After Trump fired Comey, the administration gave differing reasons for his dismissal. Trump later contradicted his own staff and acknowledged on May 11 he fired Comey because of the Russia matter.

 

Asked why he thought Trump fired him, Comey said he did not know for sure. He added, "Again, I take the president's words. I know I was fired because of something about the way I was conducting the Russia investigation was in some way putting pressure on him, in some way irritating him, and he decided to fire me because of that."

 

Comey repeatedly said there were details he could not discuss in a public session, making clear he had sensitive information he could disclose only in a closed session with the senators.

 

'LIES, PLAIN AND SIMPLE'

 

Comey said Trump's administration had defamed him in comments made after his firing by saying that the FBI was in disarray and that the workforce had lost confidence in its leader. "Those were lies, plain and simple," Comey said.

 

His accusations could further mire Trump's administration in legal difficulties. Mueller and several congressional committees are investigating what U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded was an effort by Russia to help Trump win the election by discrediting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton through the hacking and disclosure of damaging emails and other steps.

 

Russia has denied such interference. The White House as denied any collusion with Moscow.

 

In a speech to supporters across town, Trump vowed to fight on. "We're under siege ... but we will come out bigger and better and stronger than ever," he said.

 

"We know how to fight and we will never give up," Trump added.

 

Trump's personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, said Comey's testimony proved the president was not under any investigation and there is no evidence a single vote was changed as a result of Russian interference in last year's election. Kasowitz denied Trump ever told Comey he needed and expected his loyalty, as Comey said.

 

Comey said he felt he needed to get his account of his conversations with Trump in the public sphere in the hope it might prompt the appointment of a special counsel, which later occurred. Comey said he gave copies of his memo memorializing his talks with Trump to people outside the Justice Department and "asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter."

 

Comey said he shared the memo with a professor at Columbia Law School, a reference to Daniel Richman, who confirmed to Reuters he was the one Comey referred to in his testimony.

 

Kasowitz said that "we will leave it the appropriate authorities" to determine whether Comey's leak "should be investigated along with all those others being investigated."

 

'LORDY, I HOPE THERE ARE TAPES'

 

Comey said he did not know if there are tapes of his conversations with Trump but said if so they should be made public.

 

"Lordy, I hope there are tapes," Comey said.

 

Republicans on the committee questioned Comey intently but did not attack his integrity or try to treat him roughly, as a witness making accusations against a sitting Republican president might expect.

 

Comey testified he kept notes after meeting with Trump because "I was honestly concerned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting, and so I thought it really important to document."

 

From Capitol Hill to San Francisco's Castro district, Comey's appearance attracted television "watch parties" beckoning politics buffs to taverns, restaurants and living rooms to view an event some likened to the "Super Bowl of Washington."

 

U.S. stocks closed slightly higher as the market reacted little to Comey's testimony, viewing his testimony alone as unlikely to mark the end of Trump's presidency.

 

Comey said Trump did not attempt to get him to drop the overall Russia investigation, just the part of if that related to Flynn, who the president fired in February for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the extent of his conversations last year with Sergei Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the United States.

 

Republican Senator Marco Rubio asked Comey whether he perceived the president's request to let the Flynn matter go as an order given Trump's position as president, the setting and the circumstances surrounding the conversation.

 

"Yes," Comey replied.

 

Laura Donohue, a Georgetown University Law Center professor, said if Trump fired Comey to change the course of the Russia investigation, that would constitute obstruction of justice.

 

Both the conversation between Trump and Comey about Flynn and the firing itself were obstructive acts, she said. "He wanted to scuttle the investigation - it is hard to see it any other way," she said.

 

Comey's testimony drew new attention to Sessions and his contacts with Kislyak. Comey said he did not discuss Trump's pressure to drop the probe into Flynn with Sessions because the FBI leadership team believed the attorney general would later recuse himself from the Russia probe.

 

"We were also aware of facts that I can't discuss in an open setting that would make his continued engagement in a Russia-related investigation problematic," Comey said, without giving more details.

 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he did not believe Trump had committed a crime even if his personal style was often brash, adding, "I'll just say it, if being crude, rude and a bull in a china shop was a crime, Trump would get the death penalty."

 

(Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Doina Chiacu, Eric Walsh, Roberta Rampton, Mark Hosenball, Steve Holland, Ian Simpson, Rick Cowan and Susan Heavey in Washington and Jan Wolfe in New York; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Will Dunham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-09

 

[Credo]

I watched Comey's handling of the Clinton email scandal and then his testimony on the Flynn matter.    It is very sad that such an excellent and balanced person is no longer in the government.   

 

The US need more people who can see through the muck, remain focused and on task, not less.

 

What stuck out in his testimony is that the Russians were meddling, that it is an attack on democracy and it will continue.     

[darksidedog]

When it comes to who to believe about this matter, we have James Comey, a man with a reputation for being as honest as the day is long, and a man who politifact recently showed told on average four lies a day. Trump was obviously very concerned what investigating Flynn might find. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the private closed door session, when Comey can reveal more.

I'm not commenting on if Trump has or hasn't tried to interfere with justice at this point, but it has been shown once again that he is definitely a liar.

[Luckysilk]

This publicity muppet should have been fired day one.

[tonray]

7 minutes ago, Luckysilk said:

This publicity muppet should have been fired day one.

But how would that have looked to the public...firing a newly elected President on his inauguration day would have been quite unseemly. 

[IMA_FARANG]

To be fair, and I have no love for Trump, the headline  is incorrect.

Coney never suggested that Trump fired him because he refused to drop the FBI investigation of Russian influence because Trump asked him to.

He actually said he would give trump honestly his judgement but Trump said he wanted LOYALTY not honesty from the FBI head.

Take that however you like it to mean whatever you wish. it o mean.

To me it shows Trump's true intentions, but it is not a proof of "criminal intent...obstruction of Justice", which would be an impeachable offense.

 

 

[Scott]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Again, I take the president's words. I know I was fired because of something about the way I was conducting the Russia investigation was in some way putting pressure on him, in some way irritating him, and he decided to fire me because of that."

 

3 minutes ago, IMA_FARANG said:

To be fair, and I have no love for Trump, the headline  is incorrect.

Coney never suggested that Trump fired him because he refused to drop the FBI investigation of Russian influence because Trump asked him to.

He actually said he would give trump honestly his judgement but Trump said he wanted LOYALTY not honesty from the FBI head.

Take that however you like it to mean whatever you wish. it o mean.

To me it shows Trump's true intentions, but it is not a proof of "criminal intent...obstruction of Justice", which would be an impeachable offense.

 

 

I fail to see how that makes the headline incorrect.  

[attrayant]

Unless you are a 16 year-old teenager and it's your first day on your first job ever, we all know what it means when your boss invites you to a private meeting and says 'I hope you can make XYZ happen'.  When the boss says "I hope" or "I'd like" or "this needs to happen", we all understand that as direction.

 

Edited June 9, 2017 by attrayant
clarity

[tonray]

The Republicans in Congress simply do not care. They have thrown away every principle on law and order that they have espoused for the past 2 decades  because they are afraid of the Trump voters in 2018. Elections are the only way to remedy this but it will take more than the weak and out of touch Democrats to do it,

[Thakkar]

Comey at that dinner with Trump sounds like every woman suddenly realizing her work event is something else

"why didn't you say anything" or "why didn't you ask for help" or "well couldn't he have meant it this way"

“Why didn’t you tell a white man with tremendous power that his behavior was out of bounds, that would have fixed it, that always works”

POTUS acting in wildly inappropriately & Collins thinks it's the fault of Comey et all for not telling him he's being inappropiate.

If you tell me to do something illegal, it's not my job to call YOUR lawyer. Why do they treat Trump like a toddler, free of responsibility.


Interesting to hear Comey say, 'I wish I had been a little stronger, but I was so stunned.'

Ladies, hands up if you've experienced that ✋️


If your boss says, "I hope you give me daily blowjobs," it's still sexual harassment.

[Thakkar]

1 minute ago, tonray said:

The Republicans in Congress simply do not care. They have thrown away every principle on law and order that they have espoused for the past 2 decades  because they are afraid of the Trump voters in 2018. Elections are the only way to remedy this but it will take more than the weak and out of touch Democrats to do it,

[tonray]

I'm surprised Trump didn't offer him a job at one of the Trump properties as head of security. At least that would have sweetened the pot.

[Credo]

9 minutes ago, Thakkar said:

Comey at that dinner with Trump sounds like every woman suddenly realizing her work event is something else

"why didn't you say anything" or "why didn't you ask for help" or "well couldn't he have meant it this way"

“Why didn’t you tell a white man with tremendous power that his behavior was out of bounds, that would have fixed it, that always works”

POTUS acting in wildly inappropriately & Collins thinks it's the fault of Comey et all for not telling him he's being inappropiate.

If you tell me to do something illegal, it's not my job to call YOUR lawyer. Why do they treat Trump like a toddler, free of responsibility.


Interesting to hear Comey say, 'I wish I had been a little stronger, but I was so stunned.'

Ladies, hands up if you've experienced that ✋️


If your boss says, "I hope you give me daily blowjobs," it's still sexual harassment.

The dinner and how to deal with Comey was probably orchestrated by his friends from Fox News.   They know a little about how to harass someone.   

 

Poor Comey, he was probably thinking I hope he stops talking about this Russian stuff and just kisses me so we can get it over with.

[attrayant]

Putin must be very pleased with himself right now.  Our global credibility is taking serious damage, and Trump is helping him (cf.: Climate Accords).

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Credo said:

I watched Comey's handling of the Clinton email scandal and then his testimony on the Flynn matter.    It is very sad that such an excellent and balanced person is no longer in the government.   

 

The US need more people who can see through the muck, remain focused and on task, not less.

 

What stuck out in his testimony is that the Russians were meddling, that it is an attack on democracy and it will continue.     

He also said the Russians didn't change the election outcome ( words to that effect ).

What is certain, is that Comey took his revenge on Trump ( he deserved to get that, given the way Trump fired him ), and he handed the anti Trumpers a very large stick to beat Trump with.

 

I have issues with the headline on the OP. I watched the entire interview and I didn't see that as being the main outcome of the interview as opposed to what "journalists" with an apparent bias chose to make the main point. It went on, I believe, for 2 1/2 hours and that wasn't a big deal in it, IMO.

To me the big deal was that Obama's AG told Comey to downplay HRC's e mail investigation during an election campaign by referring to it as a "matter". Comey said he was disturbed by that, but still did as she told him.

What came out as a fact though, was that Trump himself was not under investigation.

 

Regardless of what happens now, and that will include a lot of Dems calling for impeachment, as Comey himself said it is up to Mueller to sort it out now.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

6 minutes ago, attrayant said:

Putin must be very pleased with himself right now.  Our global credibility is taking serious damage, and Trump is helping him (cf.: Climate Accords).

 

Agreed that Putin is laughing now. Apparently, going by Comey's own words, the Russians have been running rings around the American security services. Makes one wonder how with all those big computers and all the NSA et al people spying on everyone they managed to miss that the Russians were "meddling" in the election, or if they did notice, were unable to stop it, apparently.

Wonder if they'll stop using electronic voting machines now?

 

I guess some harsh words are being said in security head honcho meetings now.

[tonray]

What is abundantly clear is that as American voters we can no longer rely on the protections of the checks and balances of government. I think this would be true no matter which party if in power. It is a sad situation but I believe our Democracy is lost.

[tonray]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Agreed that Putin is laughing now. Apparently, going by Comey's own words, the Russians have been running rings around the American security services. Makes one wonder how with all those big computers and all the NSA et al people spying on everyone they managed to miss that the Russians were "meddling" in the election, or if they did notice, were unable to stop it, apparently.

Wonder if they'll stop using electronic voting machines now?

 

I guess some harsh words are being said in security head honcho meetings now.

Harsh words ? ha ha...they are meeting right now to determine how to milk the taxpayers for the fix.

[thaibeachlovers]

29 minutes ago, tonray said:

The Republicans in Congress simply do not care. They have thrown away every principle on law and order that they have espoused for the past 2 decades  because they are afraid of the Trump voters in 2018. Elections are the only way to remedy this but it will take more than the weak and out of touch Democrats to do it,

it will take more than the weak and out of touch Democrats to do it,

I agree with that.

[boomerangutang]

1 hour ago, Luckysilk said:

This publicity muppet should have been fired day one.

He should have been beat by Kasich in the primaries.  But no, Republicans picked the most corrupt candidate on the Rep ticket, as a way of giving the finger to Congress and the American people.  Now we're reaping what Trump voters sowed.

 

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What came out as a fact though, was that Trump himself was not under investigation.

                       If true (and that's a big 'if', because there's a lot of pressure to be agreeable when talking face to face with the prez), then THAT WAS MONTHS AGO.   If you've been following news day by day, as most of here have, you'll notice that A WHOLE LOT HAS COME DOWN THE TUBES since Comey and Trump had that tete a tete.

 

                      If Trump is not under investigation at this time, then that's akin to saying no radar screens at airports are being watched.  It's outlandish.     

[thaibeachlovers]

6 minutes ago, tonray said:

What is abundantly clear is that as American voters we can no longer rely on the protections of the checks and balances of government. I think this would be true no matter which party if in power. It is a sad situation but I believe our Democracy is lost.

I think it was lost long ago.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. Dwight D. Eisenhower
www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/dwightdei164039.html?src=t_military-industrial

Edited June 9, 2017 by thaibeachlovers

[helpisgood]

1 hour ago, attrayant said:

Unless you are a 16 year-old teenager and it's your first day on your first job ever, we all know what it means when your boss invites you to a private meeting and says 'I hope you can make XYZ happen'.  When the boss says "I hope" or "I'd like" or "this needs to happen", we all understand that as direction.

 

Asssuming that Comey’s version of the meeting is the true and correct one, it sure looks like important evidence of obstruction of justice to me.  And, Comey came across as being very credible.  

 

Starting with attrayant’s point above (please read post #8), the context of Trump’s words is important.  Included in this context is that Trump told Sessions, the attorney-general, to leave the room as well.  The AG is in between the president and the FBI director in the chain of command.  Comey noted that the AG lingered before leaving likely knowing that his presence would be appropriate.  Why clear the room and why not have this aboveboard with the appropriate staff?

 

Trump also raised at that dinner whether Comey wanted to stay as FBI director even though, as Comey testified, the president had assured Comey that he was doing an excellent job or whatever superlatives that were used.  Put all of this together, as attrayant had pointed out, only a novice would not realize that the big boss wanted a favor in exchange for Comey keeping his job.

 

Then, there was that bizarre “loyalty” conversation.  Every govt. employee knows that the oath is to the Constitution and not to one person.  Isn’t that an important difference between a republic and an authoritarian govt.?  

 

And then, not long after that, Trump fired Comey because, as Trump admitted in that Holt interview, that the firing was about the Russia investigation (add the confusion with his own people previously stating that it had to do with the Clinton investigation).  It thus appears to me that Trump does not know what being a president in a republic is about, but instead wants to run the USA like one of his casinos.    

 

As Comey pointed out, it is best to have the special counsel, Bob Mueller, and others so associated sort out the final decision on whether obstruction of justice was committed.  Nevertheless, the credible testimony of Comey surely appears as important evidence that this is what had happened.  

 

Edited June 9, 2017 by helpisgood
grammar

[Berkshire]

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Agreed that Putin is laughing now. Apparently, going by Comey's own words, the Russians have been running rings around the American security services. Makes one wonder how with all those big computers and all the NSA et al people spying on everyone they managed to miss that the Russians were "meddling" in the election, or if they did notice, were unable to stop it, apparently.

Wonder if they'll stop using electronic voting machines now?

"Running rings around the American security services"....?  Come on.  The US intel dudes knew what was going on.  The Russians couldn't break into our system to change vote counts.  What they did was alter the narrative by publishing fake news and releasing hacked e-mails.  Most Americans didn't fall for it.  Only the incredibly stupid did...i.e., those who voted for Trump. 

[tonray]

1 minute ago, helpisgood said:

Asssuming that Comey’s version of the meeting is the true and correct one, it sure looks like important evidence of obstruction of justice to me.  And, Comey came across as being very credible.  

 

Starting with attrayant’s point above (please read post #8), the context of Trump’s words is important.  Included in this context is that Trump told Sessions, the attorney-general, to leave the room as well.  The AG is in between the president and the FBI director in the chain of command.  Comey noted that the AG lingered before leaving likely knowing that his presence would be appropriate.  Why clear the room and why not have this aboveboard with the appropriate staff?

 

Trump also raised at that dinner whether Comey wanted to stay as FBI director even though, as Comey testified, the president had assured Comey that he was doing an excellent job or whatever superlatives that were used.  Put all of this, as attrayant had pointed out, only a novice would not realize that the big boss wanted a favor in exchange for Comey keeping his job.

 

Then, there was that bizarre “loyalty” conversation.  Every govt. employee knows that the oath is to the Constitution and not to one person.  Isn’t that an important difference between a republic and an authoritarian govt.?  

 

And then, not long after that, Trump fired Comey because, as Trump admitted in that Holt interview, that the firing was about the Russia investigation (add the confusion with his own people previously stating that it had to do with the Clinton investigation).  It thus appears to me that Trump does not know what being a president in a republic is about, but instead wants to run the USA like one of his casinos.    

 

As Comey pointed out, it is best to have the special counsel, Bob Mueller, and others so associated sort out the final decision on whether obstruction of justice was committed.  Nevertheless, the credible testimony of Comey surely appears as important evidence that this is what had happened.  

 

You heard Paul Ryan "he's new at this". They don't care..they simply don't care.

[helpisgood]

Just now, tonray said:

You heard Paul Ryan "he's new at this". They don't care..they simply don't care.

Good point!

 

First of all, as has been often stated, ignorance of the law is no excuse,

 

Second, Donald wanted the job of president and took it.  So, he's responsible for knowing how it works.  And, I understand that it is an important job.   

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

9 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

"Running rings around the American security services"....?  Come on.  The US intel dudes knew what was going on.  The Russians couldn't break into our system to change vote counts.  What they did was alter the narrative by publishing fake news and releasing hacked e-mails.  Most Americans didn't fall for it.  Only the incredibly stupid did...i.e., those who voted for Trump. 

Even the Dems are not denying the e mails were true. Hoist by their own petard, methinks.

Edited June 9, 2017 by thaibeachlovers

[Berkshire]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

Even the Dems are not denying the e mails were true. So they really did sabotage Bernie and give debate questions to HRC ahead of time. Hoist by their own petard, methinks.

The Russians also had hacked e-mails of Republicans, but chose not to release them.  Wonder why? 

[maoro2013]

Maybe fired for his totally inept handling of the Hillary situation.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, Berkshire said:

The Russians also had hacked e-mails of Republicans, but chose not to release them.  Wonder why? 

That wasn't my point.

[attrayant]

1 minute ago, maoro2013 said:

Maybe fired for his totally inept handling of the Hillary situation.

 

Yeah, a half a year after it happened and after he had been told on multiple occasions that he was doing a great job.  Makes perfect sense.