The president and Kellyanne Conway keep saying that this is about restoring confidence in the fbi. Does the firing of the fbi director whos leading the investigation into the white house, the firing of him by that white house, does that restore confidence . Not at all. And in fact, the way the firing was done was particularly striking. Director comey is a respected career Law Enforcement official, a Public Servant, and he was fired essentially through the press. He found out that he had been fired while he was speaking to fbi personnel in los angeles and there were press reports that a letter had been delivered to the fbi headquarters. Thats about as brazen and aggressive a way as you can fire somebody. And as you just referenced in the previous segment here, anderson, President Trumps letter saying you have told me three times im not under investigation just seems to protest too much the idea that there is nothing going on here other than a sort of clearing the decks. And ill remind y
On the official line. In fact, we learned that director comeys firing came as he was seeking more resources for the russia probe. We saw reports citing people close to the president , including one by the New York Times in which russia figured highly in mr. Trumps decision. We know the president s thoughts about the investigation because as we know, the president likes to tweet again and again including just two days ago. The russia trump collusion story is a total hoax. When will this taxpayer funded charade end . If he means the half does investigation going on in white house, the answer likely will not please him. Pamela brown joins us with that breaking news. I understand you have new information about the congressional Russian Investigation about the comey firing. Thats right. In what is the first formal call by a republican, anderson, republican Jason Chaffetz on capitol hill, has now asked the department of justice Inspector General to expand his probe looking at the fbis handli
On yet another day of breon breaking story after another, late reporting in the the New York Times and a phone call two people briefed on it tell the times the president made to thenfbi director comey. It is in many ways the backstory to the video youre looking at right now. See director comey called over by the president from behind the bre drapes during a ceremony. We know according to the New York Times director comey was trying to keep his distance from the president because of the ongoing russia investigation. His discomfort in this moment youre looking at right now would be justified when according to tthe New York Times the president called comey and asked him directly when federal authorities were going to put out word he personally was not under investigation. Thats the latest item in a day that has seen many changes. Jeff zeleny is at the white house with that and more. The video, the back story, are really fascinating. What else can you tell us about the nim noothe New York
From sessions, a source with knowledge tells cnn. Theyre focusing on such a meeting took place on april 27th, 2016, at the may flower hotel in washington, d. C. , where then candidate donald trump was delivering his first major Foreign Policy address. Prior to the speech, they be senator sessions and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak attended a small vip reception with organizers, diplomats, others in addition to congressional investigators, the fbi is seeking to determine the extent of interactions the Trump Campaign team may have had with russias ambassador during that event. This is part of its broader counterintelligence investigation of russian interference in the election. Neither hill nor fbi verdicts have yet concluded whether a private meeting took place. They also acknowledge that it is possible that any additional meeting, anderson, was incidental. Has attorney general sessions responded . We got this statement a short time ago from the department of justice. Ill read it in
In will happen at some point after memorial day. Thats what they specifically said in the statement they released announcing this tonight. So certainly the indication is there that this will happen sometime in the near to shortterm future. There had been some fresh concern up here on capitol hill that this would not end up happening in the wake of the special counsel bob mueller being chosen this week but certainly theyre moving ahead and significant that this is going to be happening not behind closed doors, not in a classified setting, but in public on camera and in open setting. Something we understand that james comey wanted to do himself. Now hes also been invited by two other congressional committees up here, also investigating this. And some registers diz pleasure tonight the Senate Judiciary committee the Ranking Member and the chair out with a statement tonight saying they are disappointed that he turned down and declined their invitation to appear before the committee saying