Tag: FBI

The three most damaging paragraphs from the revelation about Trump pushing back against the FBI

The following article by Amber Phillips was posted on the Washington Post website May 22, 2017:

Over the past week or so, the world has glimpsed some of the president’s private conversations about the Russia probe, and what we’ve seen has one common theme: A president appearing to veer across the double-yellow DO NOT CROSS lines that separate the investigative section of the federal government and his White House.

The latest must-read revelation comes Monday from The Washington Post’s Adam Entous and Ellen Nakashima. Continue reading “The three most damaging paragraphs from the revelation about Trump pushing back against the FBI”

Acting FBI director contradicts Trump White House on Comey, Russia probe

The following article by Matt Zapotosky and Karoun Demirjian was posted on the Washington Post website May 11, 2017:

Acting FBI director Andrew McCabe on Thursday rejected the Trump White House’s characterization of the Russian meddling probe as a low priority and delivered a passionate defense of former director James B. Comey — putting himself squarely at odds with the president while the bureau’s future hangs in the balance.

McCabe, who had been the No. 2 official in the FBI until President Trump fired Comey this week, said that the bureau considered the probe of possible coordination between the Kremlin and the Trump team during the 2016 election campaign a “highly significant investigation” and that it would not be derailed because of a change in leadership. Continue reading “Acting FBI director contradicts Trump White House on Comey, Russia probe”

Comey Confirms F.B.I. Investigation of Russian Election Interference, Links to Trump Campaign

High points of the intelligence briefing of Congress today, March 20, 2017, from Matthew Rosenberg, Emmarie Huetteman and Michael S. Schmidt update at 11:01 AM and posted on the New York Times website:

■ The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, publicly confirmed an investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election and whether associates of the president were in contact with Moscow.

■ Mr. Comey also said the F.B.I. had “no information” to support President Trump’s allegation that Barack Obama wiretapped him.

■ The hearing’s featured witnesses: Mr. Comey and Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency.

FBI Director Comey asked Justice officials to refute Trump’s unproven wiretapping claim

The following article by Abby Phillip and Ellen Nakashima was posted on the Washington Post website March 5, 2017:

PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS/ASSOCIATED PRESS/FILE

FBI Director James B. Comey asked the Justice Department this weekend to issue a statement refuting President Trump’s claim that President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap of Trump’s phones before the election, according to U.S. officials, but the department did not do so.

Comey made the request Saturday after Trump accused Obama on Twitter of having his “ ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower.” The White House expanded on Trump’s comments Sunday with a call for a congressional probe of his allegations. Continue reading “FBI Director Comey asked Justice officials to refute Trump’s unproven wiretapping claim”

FBI once planned to pay former British spy who authored controversial Trump dossier

The following article by Tom Hamburger and Rosalind S. Helderman was posted on the Washington Post website February 28, 2017:

Reuters / BI

The former British spy who authored a controversial dossier on behalf of Donald Trump’s political opponents alleging ties between Trump and Russia reached an agreement with the FBI a few weeks before the election for the bureau to pay him to continue his work, according to several people familiar with the arrangement.

The agreement to compensate former MI6 agent Christopher Steele came as U.S. intelligence agencies reached a consensus that the Russians had interfered in the presidential election by orchestrating hacks of Democratic Party email accounts. Continue reading “FBI once planned to pay former British spy who authored controversial Trump dossier”

CNN: FBI Refused WH Request To Refute Stories About Russian Contact

The following article by Matt Shuham was posted on the Talking Point Memo website February 23, 2017:

FBI Director James Comey, center, flanked Homeland Secretary Jeh Johnson, right, and Director of National Counterterrorism Center, Office of the National Intelligence, Nicholas Rasmussen, pauses while testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on on terror threats. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

CNN reported Thursday that the FBI and other federal agencies rejected the White House’s request to refute stories about contact between members of the Trump campaign and Russian nationals, including members of the Russian intelligence community.

CNN’s report was based on multiple unnamed U.S. officials briefed on the matter.

The New York Times and CNN reported last week that members of the Trump campaign and Russian nationals were in repeated contact during the campaign. Continue reading “CNN: FBI Refused WH Request To Refute Stories About Russian Contact”

Flynn in FBI interview denied discussing sanctions with Russian ambassador

The following article by Sari Horwitz and Adam Entous was posted on the Washington Post website February 16, 2017:

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn denied to FBI agents in an interview last month that he had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with that country’s ambassador to the United States before President Trump took office, contradicting the contents of intercepted communications collected by intelligence agencies, current and former U.S. officials said. Continue reading “Flynn in FBI interview denied discussing sanctions with Russian ambassador”

Justice Department inspector general to investigate pre-election actions by department and FBI

The following article by Matt Zapotosky and Sari Horwitz was posted on the Washington Post website January 12, 2017:

The Justice Department inspector general will review broad allegations of misconduct involving the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email practices and the bureau’s controversial decision shortly before the election to announce the probe had resumed, the inspector general announced Thursday.

The probe will be wide ranging — encompassing the FBI’s various public statements on the matter, whether its deputy director should have been recused and whether FBI or other Justice Department employees leaked nonpublic information, according to a news release from Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. Continue reading “Justice Department inspector general to investigate pre-election actions by department and FBI”

Declassified report says Putin ‘ordered’ effort to undermine faith in U.S. election and help Trump

The following article by Greg Miller and Adam Entous was posted on the Washington Post website January 6, 2016:

Russia carried out a comprehensive cyber campaign to sabotage the U.S. presidential election, an operation that was ordered by Russian President Vladi­mir Putin and ultimately sought to help elect Donald Trump, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in a remarkably blunt assessment released Friday. Continue reading “Declassified report says Putin ‘ordered’ effort to undermine faith in U.S. election and help Trump”