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Saturday 20 May 2017
Report: FBI probe moves into White House

ERICA WERNER May 10 meeting. “I faced
EILEEN SULLIVAN great pressure because of
Associated Press Russia. That’s taken off.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — White House spokesman
President Donald Trump Sean Spicer called the
told Russian diplomats last president’s rhetoric part of
week his firing of “nut job” his deal-making.
James Comey had eased “By grandstanding and
the pressure on him, even politicizing the investiga-
as the FBI’s Trump-Russia tion into Russia’s actions,
investigation had moved James Comey created un-
into the White House, ac- necessary pressure on our
cording to reports Friday ability to engage and ne-
that pursued the president gotiate with Russia,” Spicer
as he began his maiden said. “The investigation
foreign trip. would have always contin-
White House hopes that ued, and obviously the ter-
Trump could leave scan- mination of Comey would
dalous allegations at home not have ended it. Once
were crushed in a one-two again, the real story is
punch of revelations that that our national security
landed shortly after his de- has been undermined by
parture. A Washington Post FBI Director James Comey speaks to the Anti-Defamation League National Leadership Summit in the leaking of private and
report, citing anonymous Washington, Monday, May 8, 2017. highly classified conversa-
sources familiar with the Associated Press tions.” As for the separate
matter, said a senior Trump report of a “person of inter-
adviser is now considered telligence committee an- Comey is known to pro- will confirm that there was est” under investigation,
a “person of interest” in nounced that Comey had duce memos document- no collusion between the the Post said the senior
the law enforcement in- agreed to testify at an ing especially sensitive campaign and any foreign White House adviser “un-
vestigation into whether open hearing at an unde- or unsettling encounters, entity.” der scrutiny” is someone
Trump’s campaign associ- termined date after Memo- such as after the February It did not deny the Times re- close to the president but
ates coordinated with Rus- rial Day. meeting. Comey turned port that Trump was critical did not name the person.
sia in an effort to sway the Comey will certainly be down an invitation to tes- of Comey to the Russians Among Trump’s senior
2016 election. asked about encounters tify before the Senate Judi- the day after he fired him. White House advisers are
And The New York Times that precipitated his firing, ciary Committee. The new The Times reported Trump several former campaign
reported that the presi- including a January dinner headlines were a fresh in- noted the Russia investiga- officials, including his son-
dent had told Russian offi- in which, Comey has told dication that Trump would tion as he told Russian For- in-law Jared Kushner,
cials he felt the dismissal of associates, Trump asked not be able to change the eign Minister Sergey Lavrov Steve Bannon, Stephen
his FBI director had relieved for his loyalty. In the Oval subject from what appears and Ambassador to the Miller and Kellyanne Con-
“great pressure” on him. Office weeks later, Com- to be an intensifying inves- U.S. Sergey Kislyak of his de- way. In March, Kushner vol-
The White House has said ey told associates, the tigation reaching toward cision to fire Comey. unteered to answer law-
the firing was unrelated to president asked him to shut the president and his inner “I just fired the head of the makers’ questions about
the FBI’s Russia investiga- down an investigation into circle. The White House re- FBI. He was crazy, a real nut meetings he had with
tion. former national security ad- peated its assertion that job,” the Times reported Russian officials during the
Late Friday, the Senate in- viser Michael Flynn. a “thorough investigation that Trump said during the transition.q
Chaffetz resigns at career pinnacle after years in spotlight

MICHELLE L. PRICE perceived lack of zeal in in- publican, said he viewed
BRADY McCOMBS vestigating Trump and the Chaffetz as a decent poli-
Associated Press difficult position those in- tician but was disappoint-
ALPINE, Utah (AP) — U.S. vestigations would put him ed he did not investigate
Rep. Jason Chaffetz’s as- in with his own party, es- Trump more vigorously.
cent to national promi- pecially if he runs for Utah “One of my biggest com-
nence leading a House governor in 2020. plaints with politics in gen-
oversight committee was Chaffetz acknowledged eral is that people play fa-
rooted largely in his em- the speculation but insisted vorites depending on their
brace of the spotlight and to reporters that “the over- party,” said Carlson, of Pro-
willingness to take on con- whelming driving force” of vo. “I hope whoever takes
frontations. his resignation was a desire his place will do better than
But the 50-year-old Utah to spend more time with he did at a proper investi-
Republican said this week family as he realized he gation of all that garbage
that he’s stepping aside was in a mid-life crisis. with ties to Russia.”
from Congress next month U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz and his wife Julie speak with reporters “A lot of people will never Chaffetz’s abrupt exit up-
during the prime of his ca- at their home Thursday, May 18, 2017, in Alpine, Utah. believe that,” he said. “But ends the latest of the Re-
reer and just as his com- Associated Press that is the truth.” publican-controlled con-
mittee was poised to in- Chaffetz to prove he was Some political analysts in Jacob Carlson, a 27-year- gressional investigations
vestigate President Don- sincere when he promised Utah have suggested the old college student in into Trump and also marks
ald Trump’s firing of the constituents at a raucous former public relations Chaffetz’s district who has a sudden halt to Chaf-
FBI director. It’s a probe February town hall that his specialist is making a po- voted for Republicans and fetz’s decade-long climb
that could have allowed job was “not to be a cheer- litical chess move to avoid Democrats but leans Re- to power.q
leader for the president.” constant attacks about his