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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 8 June 2017
Comey: Trump sought to ‘lift the cloud’ of investigation

By JULIE PACE tigation into possible cam-
ERIC TUCKER paign collusion with Russia.
Associated Press Comey says he did offer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fired the president that “assur-
FBI Director James Comey ance,” but resisted Trump’s
will testify under oath Thurs- appeals to make that infor-
day that President Donald mation public.
Trump repeatedly pressed “The FBI and the Depart-
him for his “loyalty” and ment of Justice had been
directly pushed him to “lift reluctant to make public
the cloud” of investigation statements that we did
shadowing his White House not have an open case on
by declaring publicly the President Trump for a num-
president was not the tar- ber of reasons, most im-
get of the probe into his portantly because it would
campaign’s Russia ties. create a duty to correct,
Comey’s detailed and should that change,” Com-
vivid recollections of his ey says in the prepared re-
one-on-one conversations marks.
with Trump were revealed Trump’s personal lawyer
in seven pages of pre- said Trump was cheered by
pared testimony released the testimony.
Wednesday, the day be- “The president is pleased
fore his much-anticipated that Mr. Comey has fi-
appearance before the In this combination photo, President Donald Trump, left, appears in the Oval Office of the White nally publicly confirmed
Senate intelligence com- House in Washington on May 10, 2017, and FBI Director James Comey appears at a news confer- his private reports that the
mittee. ence in Washington on June 30, 2014. Comey is making his first public comments since being fired president was not under in-
by President Donald Trump and, according to his prepared remarks, will talk about the president’s
His remarks paint a picture efforts put the investigation behind him. vestigation in any Russian
of an FBI director so discon- (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, left, and Susan Walsh) probe,” attorney Mark Ka-
certed by his interactions sowitz said in a statement.
with the president that he lieved the president was which Trump urged him not But the ex-FBI director also “The president feels com-
began keeping written trying to create a “patron- to investigate ousted Na- will validate Trump’s asser- pletely and totally vindicat-
memos of their private dis- age relationship” with him tional Security Adviser Mi- tion that he was not person- ed. He is eager to continue
cussions. and describe in detail an chael Flynn’s contacts with ally a target of the federal to move forward with his
He’ll tell lawmakers he be- Oval Office meeting in Russian officials. counterintelligence inves- agenda.”q

US intelligence chiefs decline to discuss Trump contacts

By DEB RIECHMANN with the president of the
ERIC TUCKER United States or anybody
Associated Press in his administration, I have
WASHINGTON (AP) — Law- never been pressured.
makers verbally sparred “I’ve never felt pressure
with top intelligence chiefs to intervene or interfere in
on Wednesday after they any way and shape — with
staunchly refused to an- shaping intelligence in a
swer questions about con- political way, or in relation-
versations they had with ship to an ongoing investi-
President Donald Trump re- gation.”
garding probes into Russian Those answers didn’t sat-
activities during the elec- isfy the senators. Even mild-
tion. spoken Sen. Angus King,
Members of the Senate I-Maine, got testy. He de-
intelligence committee manded to know what
wanted to know about legal basis justified Coats’
news reports claiming refusal to answer questions.
Trump had asked Direc- “I’m not sure I have a le-
tor of National Intelligence gal basis, but I am more
Dan Coats and Adm. Mike than willing to sit before this
Rogers, the director of the committee ... in a closed
National Security Agency, session and answer your
to publicly state that there questions,” Coats said.
was no evidence of collu- From left, acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and With the frustrated law-
sion between Moscow and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, testify before a Senate Intelligence Committee hear- makers gearing up for
ing about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June 7, 2017, in
the Trump campaign. Washington. Thursday’s long-awaited
Trump has consistently (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) testimony from ousted FBI
pushed back against sug- that I have been the direc- immoral, unethical or inap- recall ever feeling pres- Director James Comey, the
gestions that his campaign tor of the National Security propriate,” Rogers told the sured to do so.” committee on Wednesday
coordinated with Russia Agency, to the best of my committee. Coats, who was confirmed afternoon took the unusual
and says the investigations recollection, I have never “And to the best of my rec- as Trump’s national intel- step of releasing the written
into the matter are a hoax. been directed to do any- ollection, during that same ligence director in mid- statement Comey plans to
“In the three-plus years thing I believe to be illegal, period of service, I do not March, said: “In interacting deliver.q