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U.S. NEWS Thursday 11 May 2017
Before the ax, Comey was

pushing Trump-Russia probe

harder

By JULIE PACE tor running the Watergate
AP White House Correspon- investigation that ultimate-
dent ly led to his downfall. And
WASHINGTON (AP) — Days Trump’s action left the fate
before he was fired by of the Russia probe deeply
Donald Trump, FBI Director uncertain.
James Comey requested The investigation has shad-
more resources to pursue owed Trump from the
his investigation into Rus- outset of his presidency,
sia’s election meddling though he’s denied any
and the possible involve- ties to Russia or knowledge
ment of Trump associates, of campaign coordination
U.S. officials said Wednes- with Moscow.
day, fueling concerns that Trump, in a letter to Comey
Trump was trying to under- dated Tuesday, contend-
mine a probe that could ed that the director had
threaten his presidency. told him “three times” that
It was unclear whether he was not personally un-
word of the Comey re- der investigation. The White Former FBI Director James Comey walks at his home in McLean, Va., Wednesday, May 10, 2017.
quest, put to deputy At- House refused Wednesday President Donald Trump fired Comey on Tuesday, ousting the nation’s top law enforcement of-
torney General Rod Rosen- to provide any evidence or ficial in the midst of an investigation into whether Trump’s campaign had ties to Russia’s election
stein, ever made its way to greater detail. meddling.
Trump. But the revelation Former FBI agents said such (AP Photo/Sait Serkan Gurbuz)
intensified the pressure on a statement by the director
the White House from both would be all but unthink-
political parties to explain able.
the motives behind Com- Outraged Democrats
ey’s stunning ouster. called for an independent
Trump is the first president investigation into the Trump
since Richard Nixon to fire campaign’s possible ties to
a law enforcement official Russia’s election interfer-
overseeing an investiga- ence, and were backed
tion with ties to the White by a handful of prominent
House. Democrats quickly Republican senators. But
accused Trump of using Senate Majority Leader
Comey’s handling of the Mitch McConnell, with the
Hillary Clinton email in- support of the White House,
vestigation as a pretext brushed aside those calls,
and called for a special saying a new investigation
prosecutor into the Russia would only “impede the
probe. Republican leaders current work being done.”
brushed off idea as unnec- The Senate intelligence
essary. committee on Wednesday
Defending the firing, White subpoenaed former Trump
House officials said Trump’s national security adviser Mi-
confidence in Comey had chael Flynn for documents
been eroding for months. related to its investigation
They suggested Trump was into Russia’s election med-
persuaded to take the step dling. Flynn’s Russia ties are
by Justice Department offi- also being scrutinized by
cials and a scathing memo, the FBI.
written by Rosenstein, criti- The White House appeared
cizing the director’s role in caught off guard by the in-
the Clinton investigation. tense response to Comey’s
“Frankly, he’d been con- firing, given that the FBI di-
sidering letting Director rector had become a pa-
Comey go since the day riah among Democrats for
he was elected,” White his role in the Clinton inves-
House spokeswoman Sar- tigation. In defending the
ah Huckabee Sanders said, decision, officials leaned
a sharply different explana- heavily on a memo from
tion from the day before, Rosenstein, the deputy at-
when officials put the em- torney general, that criti-
phasis on new Justice com- cized Comey’s handling of
plaints about Comey. the Clinton investigation.
Trump’s daring decision But Rosenstein’s own
to oust Comey sparked role in Comey’s firing be-
comparisons to Nixon, who came increasingly murky
fired the special prosecu- Wednesday.q