James Comey - Donald Trump
Sacked bureau director James Comey accused Donald Trump's administration of choosing 'to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI'
Harriet Alexander, new york Rob Crilly, washington
Donald Trump tells rally: 'We are under siege'
'Lordy, I hope there are tapes'
Comey accuses Trump administration of lying about
him
Comey passed his memos to Daniel Richman to spread them in media
Donald Trump Jr trolls Comey
Who is James Comey, the former FBI director?
Comey's prepared testimony to Senate panel - in full
Analysis: Straight facts may be all Comey needs to make Donald Trump fear for his job
Donald Trump has hit back at James Comey's explosive testimony that Mr Trump lied repeatedly - telling his supporters that "we are under siege, but will come back stronger".
Mr Trump addressed the Faith and Freedom rally, taking to the stage on Thursday at the exact same time Mr Comey was testifying.
"We know how to fight and we will never give up," said Mr Trump.
Former FBI director: Trump spread "lies, plain and simple" Former FBI director: Trump spread "lies, plain and simple"
At the same time as he was speaking, Mr Comey, the former FBI director, was accusing the Trump administration of telling lies about him after he was fired last month in the middle of investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
"The administration chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI," he said at the beginning of his testimony to the Senate intelligence committee, in which he repeatedly stated that President Donald Trump lied about the course of events.
The White House hit back, with Sarah Huckabee Sanders stating during an off-camera briefing at the White House: “I can definitively say the president is not a liar. I think it is frankly insulting that question would be asked.”
Comey recorded meeting because he thought Trump "might lie"
But Mr Comey said he was disturbed by Mr Trump's attempts to get him to drop a probe into the former national security adviser, but said it was not up to him to say whether president sought to obstruct justice.
In the most eagerly anticipated congressional hearing in years, Mr Comey said he was stunned to learn from TV that he had been fired for poor performance after Mr Trump had told him he had been doing a good job.
After first saying Mr Comey was not doing a good job, Mr Trump himself said the Russia investigation was a factor.
TV networks have cleared their schedules to cover what is expected to be a moment of high political drama. Bars in Washington are opening early to screen the event - with one even offering a free drink whenever Mr Trump tweets.
In a written statement, Mr Comey said the president asked him to publicly announce that Mr Trump was not under investigation and that he back away from looking into Michael Flynn, who was fired as national security adviser for lying about the nature of meetings with Russian officials.
James Comey: 'Lordy, I hope there are tapes'
Mr Trump demanded a promise of loyalty from his former FBI director and asked repeatedly for his help “to lift the cloud” of an investigation into ties to Russian, according Mr Comey's testimony.
During a one-on-one dinner in January, Mr Comey describes an occasion which he says felt like an attempt by the president to exert a position of “patronage”.
Although there is no evidence of any collusion between members of Mr Trump’s campaign team and Russian hackers trying to sway the election, the non-stop stream of revelations has sparked accusations of a cover-up.
Mr Comey’s words will be dissected for evidence that the president’s actions amounted to obstruction of justice – one of the charges that prompted Richard Nixon’s resignation as president amid the Watergate scandal.
The testimony covers a string of meetings and phone calls. It paints a portrait of a president increasingly frustrated about the way federal investigations are interfering with the business of governing.
Donald Trump's lawyer's statement
Contrary to numerous false press accounts Mr Comey has finally confirmed publicly what he had told Mr Trump privately. That is: that Mr Trump was not under investigation personally.
Mr Comey also said not one vote was changed.
Mr Comey also made clear that the president never sought to interfere in the investigation. He also said “it would be good to find out” if there were “some satellite associates” who did wrong.
The president never in form or substance insisted Mr Comey stop investigating anyone. The president never insisted he “let this go”.
He did say “General Flynn is a good guy. He has been through a lot. Ask how he is doing.”
The president never pressured Mr Comey.
He never said it in form, and never said it in substance. Of course the president is entitled to expect loyalty.
It is overwhelmingly clear that there has been, and continue to be those in government, who continue to undermine this administration.
Mr Comey has now admitted he is one of these leakers.
He unilaterally and made unauthorised leaks to the press. Friends of Mr Comey have stated that he disclosed to them the conversations he had with the president.
Today Mr Comey admitted that he leaked to friends of his purported memos. One of those, he admitted, was classified. He authorised his friends to leak those to “prompt the appointment of a special counsel.”
Mr Comey says he leaked them in response to a tweet. But the New York Times was reporting the content of these memos the day before.
We will leave it to the appropriate authorities to investigate whether these leaks should be prosecuted.
These facts are virtually the only facts that have not been leaked.
The president feels completely vindicated and is keen to press forward with the business of running the country.
Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz has just issued a statement in response to Mr Comey's testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
He picked up on the fact that Mr Comey told the committee he shared the contents of his memos of meetings with Mr Trump with a personal friend, who then passed it to the press - with Mr Comey's consent.
Trump Comey
Donald Trump and James Comey
It is not clear if such a disclosure would be a violation. The memos were not classified.
Mr Kasowitz said: “Today, Mr Comey admitted that he unilaterally and surreptitiously made unauthorized disclosures to the press of privileged communications with the President. “We will leave it [to] the appropriate authorities to determine whether this (sic) leaks should be investigated along with all those others being investigated.”
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