Comey confirms FBI is probing links between Team Trump and Russia

FBI Director James Comey on Monday confirmed the agency is probing Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump campaign advisers coordinated with the Kremlin.

“I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI as part of our counterintelligence mission is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts,” Comey told the House Intelligence Committee.

He also said the investigation began in “late July,” which was when the Democrats and Republicans were holding their national conventions.

But he cautioned that “for a counterintelligence investigation, that’s a short period of time,” declining to estimate how long its probe would eventually take.

Following the five-hour hearing, Rep. Devin Nunes, the chair of the panel, said he didn’t learn “too much” new and is disappointed a “cloud” hangs over people in the Trump administration since Comey can’t comment on specifics of the investigation.

The California Republican said he stands by his belief there’s no evidence of collusion between Trump associates and the Russians.

“You have all these Americans now who are under this umbrella, there’s this huge umbrella that’s been put over this administration that can be captured into this investigation. [The FBI probe] has got to be done quickly,” Nunes told reporters. “It’s a cloud.”

During questioning by Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the committee, Comey said he has no information that would support Trump’s tweets from March 4 that former President Obama authorized wiretaps at the Trump Tower.

“I have no information that supports those tweets, and we have looked carefully inside the FBI. … The Department [of Justice] has no information that supports those tweets,” Comey said.
Schiff (D-Calif.) then asked if Obama could “unilaterally” order a wiretap of anyone.

Comey replied: “No president could.”

The White House defiantly refused to back away from Trump’s wiretapping claims, despite Comey’s assurances that the FBI doesn’t have the information to back them.

“Following this testimony it’s clear nothing has changed,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters during a combative press briefing. “Investigating it and having proof of it are different things. We started a hearing. It’s still ongoing.”

Spicer also downplayed the roles former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn played in the Trump presidential campaign after their names were raised during the hearing.

Spicer called Flynn a “volunteer of the campaign” and said Manafort, who resigned last summer following allegations he had contact with Russian intelligence officials, “played a very limited role for a very limited amount of time.”

Rep. Jim Himes, (D-Ct.) asked Comey about a CNN story saying Ukranian officials wanted to question Manafort in connection with a corruption probe.

Under a “mutual legal assistance” treaty, Ukranian prosecutors have asked for the US’ help in questioning Manafort, who resigned from the campaign last summer after he allegedly contacted Russian officials. They say the US has not responded to those requests.

Comey said he couldn’t comment on the story.

Some Republicans focused on conversations Flynn had with the Russian ambassador when he was advising the campaign.

Rep. Trey Gowdy reiterated the unauthorized leaking of classified data is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

“I thought that it was against the law to disseminate classified information. Is it?” Gowdy (R-SC) asked.

“Yes, it is a serious crime, and it should be,” Comey said, adding that he couldn’t confirm whether his agency was investigating the leak because of its classified nature.
“Be assured we are going to take it very seriously,” Comey added.

Trump fired Flynn as his national security adviser in February after reports revealed he had contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kilysak and misled White House officials about those meetings.

At times the frustration was evident in Comey’s inability to answer questions thoroughly because of exposing or confirming details that were classified.

Rep. Mike Turner blasted the FBI director, saying he has left a “cloud” on democracy by disclosing his agency is investigating collusion between Trump campaign officials but not going into details.

“The Russians wanted to put a cloud over our system, and Mr. Comey, by your announcement today, there is now a cloud that undermines our system,” Turner (R-Ohio) said.

Comey sad he was being “studiously vague” to protect the integrity of an ongoing FBI investigation.

Schiff said it’s clear the Russian interfered in the 2016 presidential election but not whether there was collusion between Trump campaign adviser and Russian agents.

“Most important, we do not yet know whether the Russians had the help of U.S. citizens, including people associated with the Trump campaign,” said Schiff. “Many of Trump’s campaign personnel, including the President himself, have ties to Russia and Russian interests. This is, of course, no crime. On the other hand, if the Trump campaign, or anybody associated with it, aided or abetted the Russians, it would not only be a serious crime, it would also represent one of the most shocking betrayals of our democracy in history.”

Comey and National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers appeared before the committee to answer questions about Trump’s claims that former President Obama wiretapped the Trump Tower and any collusion between Trump officials and Moscow during the 2016 presidential election.

Rogers said he stands by earlier intelligence report that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. He also confirmed there was no evidence that votes were changes in key swing states that Trump won, like Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Comey came to the same conclusion.

“Director Comey, do you have any evidence at the FBI that any votes were changed in the states that I mentioned to Admiral Rogers?” Nunes asked.
“No,” Comey said.

Trump, a half-hour before Comey’s appearance at the House panel, took to Twitter to blame the Democrats and to blast assertions his campaign officials cooperated with Russian agents, calling it “FAKE NEWS.”

“James Clapper and others stated that there is no evidence Potus colluded with Russia. This story is FAKE NEWS and everyone knows it!” Trump said, referring to statements made two weeks ago by the former director of national intelligence during the Obama years.

Trump added, “The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a terrible campaign. Big advantage in Electoral College & lost!”

About two hours later, as lawmakers began to convene for the House hearing, Trump tweeted again.

“What about all of the contact with the Clinton campaign and the Russians? Also, is it true that the DNC would not let the FBI in to look?,” he wrote.

Minutes later, Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the intelligence committee, responded.

“Mr. President, the Russians hacked our election and interfered. No one disputes this now, but you. This is what is called “fact.”” he wrote.

The US intelligence community agrees that the Russians meddled in the presidential election to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. And the FBI has been looking into any ties between Trump advisers and Russian agents during the campaign.

Clapper, Obama’s director of national intelligence, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on March 5, “We had no evidence of such collusion.”

On Sunday, Schiff claimed, contrary to Clapper, that there is evidence of collaboration.

“I was surprised to see Director Clapper say that because I don’t think you can make that claim categorically as he did. I would characterize it this way at the outset of the investigation: There is circumstantial evidence of collusion. There is direct evidence, I think, of deception and that’s where we begin the investigation,” Schiff said.

“There is certainly enough for us to conduct an investigation,” he added.

The House committee will hold another public hearing on March 28 with Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan.

The Senate Intelligence Committee has announced a public hearing for March 30.

With additional reporting by Daniel Halper and Bob Fredericks