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| Comey Confirms F.B.I. Investigation of Russian Election Interference, Links to Trump Campaign | Comey Confirms F.B.I. Investigation of Russian Election Interference, Links to Trump Campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ■ The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, publicly confirmed an investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election and whether associates of the president were in contact with Moscow. | ■ The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, publicly confirmed an investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election and whether associates of the president were in contact with Moscow. |
| ■ Mr. Comey also said the F.B.I. had “no information” to support President Trump’s allegation that Barack Obama wiretapped him. | ■ Mr. Comey also said the F.B.I. had “no information” to support President Trump’s allegation that Barack Obama wiretapped him. |
| ■ The hearing’s featured witnesses: Mr. Comey and Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency. | ■ The hearing’s featured witnesses: Mr. Comey and Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency. |
| The F.B.I. is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government — and whether there was any coordination, Mr. Comey said. | The F.B.I. is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government — and whether there was any coordination, Mr. Comey said. |
| Mr. Comey said that it is unusual for the F.B.I. to confirm or deny the existence of any investigations, but in unusual circumstances when it is in the public interest, the bureau sometimes will discuss such matters. | Mr. Comey said that it is unusual for the F.B.I. to confirm or deny the existence of any investigations, but in unusual circumstances when it is in the public interest, the bureau sometimes will discuss such matters. |
| “This is one of those circumstances,” he said. | “This is one of those circumstances,” he said. |
| “The F.B.I., as part of our counterintelligence effort, is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 president election,” he continued, adding that the investigation included looking at whether associates of Mr. Trump were in contact with Russian officials, and colluded with them. | “The F.B.I., as part of our counterintelligence effort, is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 president election,” he continued, adding that the investigation included looking at whether associates of Mr. Trump were in contact with Russian officials, and colluded with them. |
| Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, responded: “The possibility of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials is a serious, serious matter. The investigation must be fair, independent, and impartial in every way, and the F.B.I. must be allowed to follow the facts wherever they may lead.” | Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, responded: “The possibility of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials is a serious, serious matter. The investigation must be fair, independent, and impartial in every way, and the F.B.I. must be allowed to follow the facts wherever they may lead.” |
| Mr. Comey told the House intelligence committee, “We have no information to support” President Trump’s assertion on Twitter that President Barack Obama tapped Trump Tower. | Mr. Comey told the House intelligence committee, “We have no information to support” President Trump’s assertion on Twitter that President Barack Obama tapped Trump Tower. |
| “We have no information to support those tweets,” Mr. Comey said, repeating moments later, “All I can tell you is that we have no information that supports them.” | “We have no information to support those tweets,” Mr. Comey said, repeating moments later, “All I can tell you is that we have no information that supports them.” |
| The N.S.A., chief, Admiral Rogers, weighed in as well, saying that he had no knowledge of anyone asking the British or any other ally to wiretap Mr. Trump. That refuted another claim made by the White House. | |
| “I’ve seen nothing on the N.S.A. side that we engaged in such activity nor that anyone engaged in such activity,” Admiral Rogers said. | |
| He then explicitly denied having any indication that Mr. Trump was wiretapped by British intelligence at the request of Mr. Obama. | |
| Mr. Comey’s statements that the F.B.I. is investigating the Trump campaign is certainly to raise comparisons to his disclosure last October that the bureau had discovered a new trove of Hillary Clinton’s emails. | |
| “Some folks made one of a comparisons to past instances where the Justice Department and the F.B.I. has spoken about the details of some investigations,” Mr. Comey said. “Please keep in mind that those involved with the details of completed investigations. Our ability to share details with Congress and the American people is limited when those investigations are still open, which I hope makes sense. We need to protect people’s privacy. We needed to make sure we don’t get other people clues as to where we are going.” | |
| Mr. Comey said that he had consulted with the Justice Department about whether to disclose the existence of the investigation – something he had not done before he held a press conference in July to announce that there was not enough evidence to charge Mrs. Clinton with a crime. | |
| Mr. Comey’s statements on Monday brought immediate criticism from Mrs. Clinton’s allies and former campaign officials. “In refusing to discuss an ongoing investigation, Director Comey is appropriately adhering to the Justice Department’s standards,” said Brian Fallon, the spokesman for Mrs. Clinton’s campaign. “The question he has never satisfactorily answered is why he deviated from those standards so egregiously in Hillary Clinton’s case.” | |
| Mr. Comey provided a rare moment of levity when asked if he believed the inquiry in Russian meddling and possible connections to the Trump campaign was a form of “McCarthyism.” | |
| The question came during a stretch of in which both he and Admiral Rogers unequivocally refuted claims by Mr. Trump that he was wiretapped during the campaign. | |
| As for McCarthyism, his reply was similarly definitive: “I try very hard not to engage in any ‘isms’ of any kind, including McCarthyism,” he said. | |
| The first hearing of the House intelligence committee’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the election opened on Monday with Representative Devin Nunes of California, the committee’s chairman and a Trump ally, trying to split the difference between his hawkish view of Russia and his desire to deflect accusations that President Trump’s campaign benefitted from Russian interference in the election — or worse, possibly colluded with Moscow. | The first hearing of the House intelligence committee’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the election opened on Monday with Representative Devin Nunes of California, the committee’s chairman and a Trump ally, trying to split the difference between his hawkish view of Russia and his desire to deflect accusations that President Trump’s campaign benefitted from Russian interference in the election — or worse, possibly colluded with Moscow. |
| Shortly after Monday’s witnesses — Mr. Comey and Adm. Rogers — took their seats, Mr. Nunes opened by stating that Russia had a long track record of taking aggressive actions against its neighbors, and “its hostile acts take many forms aside from direct military assaults.” | Shortly after Monday’s witnesses — Mr. Comey and Adm. Rogers — took their seats, Mr. Nunes opened by stating that Russia had a long track record of taking aggressive actions against its neighbors, and “its hostile acts take many forms aside from direct military assaults.” |
| Russia “has a long history of meddling in other countries’ election systems and launching cyber-attacks on a wide range of countries,” he said. “The fact that Russia hacked U.S. election-related databases comes as no shock to this committee.” | Russia “has a long history of meddling in other countries’ election systems and launching cyber-attacks on a wide range of countries,” he said. “The fact that Russia hacked U.S. election-related databases comes as no shock to this committee.” |
| But in a nod to a claim pushed by Mr. Trump that he was wiretapped, Mr. Nunes said he wanted to know if there was improper surveillance of campaign officials. And he said it was important to find out “who has leaked classified information.” | But in a nod to a claim pushed by Mr. Trump that he was wiretapped, Mr. Nunes said he wanted to know if there was improper surveillance of campaign officials. And he said it was important to find out “who has leaked classified information.” |
| “Numerous current and former officials have leaked purportedly classified information in connection to these questions,” Mr. Nunes said. “We aim to determine who has leaked or facilitated leaks of classified information so that these individuals can be brought to justice.” | “Numerous current and former officials have leaked purportedly classified information in connection to these questions,” Mr. Nunes said. “We aim to determine who has leaked or facilitated leaks of classified information so that these individuals can be brought to justice.” |
| Representative Adam Schiff of California, the committee’s ranking Democrat, laid out the case that the Trump campaign was, at best, far too close to Russia — and far too eager to appease Moscow on Ukraine and other issues. | Representative Adam Schiff of California, the committee’s ranking Democrat, laid out the case that the Trump campaign was, at best, far too close to Russia — and far too eager to appease Moscow on Ukraine and other issues. |
| “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,” he said. | “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,” he said. |
| Mr. Schiff said the committee also plans to examine whether the raw intelligence substantiates intelligence officials’ assessment and whether the government reacted quickly and appropriately to revelations of Russia’s attack on the election. | Mr. Schiff said the committee also plans to examine whether the raw intelligence substantiates intelligence officials’ assessment and whether the government reacted quickly and appropriately to revelations of Russia’s attack on the election. |
| It is “unknowable” whether Russian meddling altered the outcome of the election, Mr. Schiff said, emphasizing that it mattered more that Moscow succeeded in intervening and will do it again. | It is “unknowable” whether Russian meddling altered the outcome of the election, Mr. Schiff said, emphasizing that it mattered more that Moscow succeeded in intervening and will do it again. |
| “If we do not do our very best to understand how the Russians accomplished this unprecedented attack on our democracy and what we need to do to protect ourselves in the future,” he said, “we will have only ourselves to blame.” | “If we do not do our very best to understand how the Russians accomplished this unprecedented attack on our democracy and what we need to do to protect ourselves in the future,” he said, “we will have only ourselves to blame.” |
| With the House intelligence committee set for the first public hearing on Russian election meddling, the president is posting his protests on Twitter — again. | With the House intelligence committee set for the first public hearing on Russian election meddling, the president is posting his protests on Twitter — again. |
| The search for the real “leaker” is likely to be part of the questioning of the F.B.I. director, since Mr. Nunes has seconded the president’s opinion. | The search for the real “leaker” is likely to be part of the questioning of the F.B.I. director, since Mr. Nunes has seconded the president’s opinion. |
| But Mr. Schiff asserted on Sunday that there was circumstantial evidence of collusion between Russian intelligence and Trump associates during the campaign. So protest as he might, Mr. Trump is not going to head off that line of questioning. | But Mr. Schiff asserted on Sunday that there was circumstantial evidence of collusion between Russian intelligence and Trump associates during the campaign. So protest as he might, Mr. Trump is not going to head off that line of questioning. |
| None of that is sitting well with the president of the United States. In a later offering, he went back to an oldie but goodie: Hillary Clinton. | None of that is sitting well with the president of the United States. In a later offering, he went back to an oldie but goodie: Hillary Clinton. |
| ■ Will Mr. Comey say definitively what he wanted the Justice Department to say for him, that Trump Tower was not wiretapped during the presidential campaign? | ■ Will Mr. Comey say definitively what he wanted the Justice Department to say for him, that Trump Tower was not wiretapped during the presidential campaign? |
| ■ How hard will Republicans push Mr. Trump’s effort to unmask the leakers bringing Russia news to the media and thus to the public? | ■ How hard will Republicans push Mr. Trump’s effort to unmask the leakers bringing Russia news to the media and thus to the public? |
| ■ Will Democrats divert attention from the central issue of Russian election interference to demand a public explanation from Mr. Comey for why he publicly chastised Hillary Clinton for her handling of emails on her private server while keeping the Russia investigation hush-hush? | ■ Will Democrats divert attention from the central issue of Russian election interference to demand a public explanation from Mr. Comey for why he publicly chastised Hillary Clinton for her handling of emails on her private server while keeping the Russia investigation hush-hush? |
| While the president tweets, lawmakers from his own party are pleading with him to apologize for saying he was wiretapped — and move on. | While the president tweets, lawmakers from his own party are pleading with him to apologize for saying he was wiretapped — and move on. |
| The latest was Representative Will Hurd of Texas, a former intelligence officer, appearing on ABC. | The latest was Representative Will Hurd of Texas, a former intelligence officer, appearing on ABC. |
| It’s not as if Mr. Trump has nothing else to concern himself with. Beyond the intelligence committee, his nominee to the Supreme Court, Neil M. Gorsuch, begins his confirmation hearings on Monday; and as early as Thursday, the House will vote on its bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The fate of that effort will go a long way to determine the rest of Mr. Trump’s bold legislative agenda. | It’s not as if Mr. Trump has nothing else to concern himself with. Beyond the intelligence committee, his nominee to the Supreme Court, Neil M. Gorsuch, begins his confirmation hearings on Monday; and as early as Thursday, the House will vote on its bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The fate of that effort will go a long way to determine the rest of Mr. Trump’s bold legislative agenda. |