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| FBI nominee Christopher Wray says Russia probe not witch hunt | FBI nominee Christopher Wray says Russia probe not witch hunt |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI has rejected the president's depiction of a probe into alleged Russian meddling in the US election as a witch hunt. | Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI has rejected the president's depiction of a probe into alleged Russian meddling in the US election as a witch hunt. |
| "I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt," Christopher Wray said about the former FBI director who is leading the special investigation. | "I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt," Christopher Wray said about the former FBI director who is leading the special investigation. |
| Mr Wray, 50, also told a Senate hearing he would quit if the president asked him to do anything illegal. | Mr Wray, 50, also told a Senate hearing he would quit if the president asked him to do anything illegal. |
| The last FBI director, James Comey, was fired by the US president on 9 May. | The last FBI director, James Comey, was fired by the US president on 9 May. |
| The US president earlier on Wednesday tweeted: "This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!" | The US president earlier on Wednesday tweeted: "This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!" |
| Mr Wray told the Senate panel on Wednesday: "Anybody who thinks that I would be pulling punches as FBI director sure doesn't know me well. | Mr Wray told the Senate panel on Wednesday: "Anybody who thinks that I would be pulling punches as FBI director sure doesn't know me well. |
| "I will never allow the FBI's work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law, and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period." | "I will never allow the FBI's work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law, and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period." |
| The nominee said he was "very committed to supporting" the work of special counsel Robert Mueller. | The nominee said he was "very committed to supporting" the work of special counsel Robert Mueller. |
| Mr Mueller, who was described by Mr Wray as "a straight shooter", is a former FBI director who is now leading the special inquiry into alleged Russian attempts to influence the 2016 US presidential election. | Mr Mueller, who was described by Mr Wray as "a straight shooter", is a former FBI director who is now leading the special inquiry into alleged Russian attempts to influence the 2016 US presidential election. |
| Mr Wray also faced questions about emails belonging to Donald Trump Jr - the president's eldest son - arranging a meeting with a Russian lawyer linked to the Kremlin. | Mr Wray also faced questions about emails belonging to Donald Trump Jr - the president's eldest son - arranging a meeting with a Russian lawyer linked to the Kremlin. |
| The nominee told senators he was unfamiliar with the emails. | The nominee told senators he was unfamiliar with the emails. |
| Senator Lindsey Graham read out the text of the emails to him and asked if Mr Trump Jr "should have taken that meeting". | Senator Lindsey Graham read out the text of the emails to him and asked if Mr Trump Jr "should have taken that meeting". |
| "I would think you'd want to consult with some good legal advisers before you did that," said Mr Wray when pressed by the South Carolina Republican. | "I would think you'd want to consult with some good legal advisers before you did that," said Mr Wray when pressed by the South Carolina Republican. |
| "Any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation state or non-state actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know", he continued. | "Any threat or effort to interfere with our elections from any nation state or non-state actor is the kind of thing the FBI would want to know", he continued. |
| Mr Wray added that he has "no reason to doubt" the assessment by US intelligence agencies that Russia sought to influence the 2016 election in Mr Trump's favour. | Mr Wray added that he has "no reason to doubt" the assessment by US intelligence agencies that Russia sought to influence the 2016 election in Mr Trump's favour. |
| Last month, Mr Comey told a congressional hearing that Mr Trump had requested a pledge of loyalty to him, which Mr Comey said he had refused to give. | Last month, Mr Comey told a congressional hearing that Mr Trump had requested a pledge of loyalty to him, which Mr Comey said he had refused to give. |
| Mr Wray declared: "My loyalty is to the constitution, to the rule of law, and to the mission of the FBI. | Mr Wray declared: "My loyalty is to the constitution, to the rule of law, and to the mission of the FBI. |
| "And nobody asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process and I sure as heck didn't offer one." | "And nobody asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process and I sure as heck didn't offer one." |
| Mr Comey had also told senators he was worried about meeting one-on-one with Mr Trump, because he was concerned the president might lie later about their discussion. | Mr Comey had also told senators he was worried about meeting one-on-one with Mr Trump, because he was concerned the president might lie later about their discussion. |
| When Mr Wray was asked how he would respond to a private invitation from Mr Trump, he said such a meeting would be "highly unlikely". | When Mr Wray was asked how he would respond to a private invitation from Mr Trump, he said such a meeting would be "highly unlikely". |
| But he added it would depend on the circumstances and if national security was involved. | But he added it would depend on the circumstances and if national security was involved. |
| Mr Wray also said he would attempt to work with the justice department to ensure "it's not a one-on-one meeting". | |
| "I think the relationship between any FBI director and any president needs to be a professional one, not a social one," he said. | "I think the relationship between any FBI director and any president needs to be a professional one, not a social one," he said. |
| "And there certainly shouldn't be any one-on-one discussion between the FBI director and any president about how to conduct particular investigations or cases". | "And there certainly shouldn't be any one-on-one discussion between the FBI director and any president about how to conduct particular investigations or cases". |
| Mr Wray, a longtime justice department official who most recently has worked as a private criminal defence attorney, also noted his opposition to torture as an interrogation tactic. | Mr Wray, a longtime justice department official who most recently has worked as a private criminal defence attorney, also noted his opposition to torture as an interrogation tactic. |
| Democratic senators, who have harshly questioned other Trump nominees during their confirmations, signalled approval for Mr Wray, indicating that he will probably be approved for the 10-year term. | Democratic senators, who have harshly questioned other Trump nominees during their confirmations, signalled approval for Mr Wray, indicating that he will probably be approved for the 10-year term. |
| If the president ever asked him to do anything illegal, he told senators, "first I would try to talk him out of it, and if that failed I would resign". | If the president ever asked him to do anything illegal, he told senators, "first I would try to talk him out of it, and if that failed I would resign". |