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WATCH LIVE: Ex-FBI chief James Comey testifies about conversations with Trump WATCH LIVE: Ex-FBI chief James Comey testifies about conversations with Trump
(35 minutes later)
Former FBI director James Comey is testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee about of his meetings with President Donald Trump and whether the president pressured him to abandon a probe touching on White House relations with Russia.Former FBI director James Comey is testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee about of his meetings with President Donald Trump and whether the president pressured him to abandon a probe touching on White House relations with Russia.
In an unusual move, the committee released Comey's prepared remarks on Wednesday afternoon. The seven-page document outlines his relationship with Trump, some details of which had already been leaked to the press in the weeks following his firing, including that the president asked Comey for his loyalty.In an unusual move, the committee released Comey's prepared remarks on Wednesday afternoon. The seven-page document outlines his relationship with Trump, some details of which had already been leaked to the press in the weeks following his firing, including that the president asked Comey for his loyalty.
READ MORE: Trump asked for loyalty, Comey promised honesty ‒ ex-FBI director’s prepared remarks
Trump fired Comey on May 9, faulting him for failing to find intelligence community leakers feeding information to the media.Trump fired Comey on May 9, faulting him for failing to find intelligence community leakers feeding information to the media.
The vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner (D-VA), says this is not a "witch hunt" or “fake news," but rather an effort to protect the US from a "new threat" which will not be going away anytime soon.The vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner (D-VA), says this is not a "witch hunt" or “fake news," but rather an effort to protect the US from a "new threat" which will not be going away anytime soon.
Comey said that although he understood when he was hired in 2013 that he "could be fired by the president for any reason or no reason at all," the "shifting explanations" he was later told "confused me and increasingly concerned me."Comey said that although he understood when he was hired in 2013 that he "could be fired by the president for any reason or no reason at all," the "shifting explanations" he was later told "confused me and increasingly concerned me."
He said that President Trump repeatedly told him that he had "talked to lots of people" about him, and that he had learned Comey was doing a "great job."He said that President Trump repeatedly told him that he had "talked to lots of people" about him, and that he had learned Comey was doing a "great job."
“So it confused me when I saw on TV that the president fired me because of the Russian investigation," he said.“So it confused me when I saw on TV that the president fired me because of the Russian investigation," he said.
Comey said the Trump administration chose to "defame me and more importantly the FBI" by saying they had lost confidence in him.
Comey said he has "no doubt" that Russians attempted to interfere in 2016 election, or that they were behind the hacking of the DNC, or the intrusion into voting systems.
When asked whether confident votes had been altered, Comey said he had seen "no indication of that whatsoever."
When asked whether Trump asked him to stop the Russia investigation, Comey responded by saying "not to my understanding, no." He went on to say that no one had asked him to end the investigation.
Comey defended his decision to publicize email investigation results, after he was asked if he had learned anything since which would have changed that decision.
"Honestly, no. I think it was the best way to try to protect the justice institution, including the FBI," Comey said.
Speaking about a January 6 meeting with Trump in Trump Tower, Comey said he felt he needed to create a written record of the meeting due to "circumstances, subject matter, and the person I was interacting with (Trump)."
"I was honestly concerned he might lie about the nature of our meeting," he said, speaking of Trump, who was president-elect at the time of the meeting.
"I think I did it after each of our nine conversations. I knew that there might come a day when I might need a record of what happened, to defend not just myself, but the FBI and our integrity," Comey said.
When asked if the meeting with Trump was the only presidential meeting he ever felt the need to create a written record for, Comey said "that's right, senator."
Comey said that after inauguration, the president whispered in his hear that he was "really looking forward to working" with the FBI director.
Comey also spoke of having the feeling that Trump was "looking to get something in exchange for letting me stay in my job."
He confirmed that Trump was not under investigation during his time at the FBI.
Referencing a probe into ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn, Comey said that Trump said "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go.”
When asked why he believes he was fired, Comey said: "I don't know for sure, I take the president at his word that I was fired because of the Russian investigation..."
On the Flynn investigation, Comey said: "The controversy was whether Flynn lied to VP about nature of his conversations with Russians. What he wanted me to do is drop any investigation connected to Flynn’s account of his contacts with the Russians.”