Comey farewell letter emerges as Senate subpoenas Michael Flynn – as it happened

Last modified: 06: 36 AM GMT+0

Summary

There has been plenty of movement during another busy day in Washington, so here is a round-up of the main points. We will put this blog on hold pending any fresh developments.

  • Sacked FBI director James Comey has urged the organisation to continue to protect the American people and uphold the constitution in a farewell letter obtained by CNN. He says he has “long believed that a president can fire an FBI director for any reason, or for no reason at all”.
  • The fallout from sacking by Donald Trump has gathered pace, with reports Comey asked for more resources to investigate alleged ties between Trump’s election campaign and Russia just days before he was fired.
  • The reasoning behind the dismissal remains the subject of much scrutiny. The White House has said Trump’s frustration with Comey had been building for months. Media reports have pointed to a range of motivations, including personal antagonism, the progress of the FBI’s inquiry into alleged Russian electoral interference and a refusal to provide Trump aides with an advance copy of his planned testimony to a Senate panel last week.
  • Former national security adviser Michael Flynn has been issued with a subpoena by the Senate intelligence committee for documents relevant to its Russia inquiry. Flynn last month declined to provide his records.
  • Jason Chaffetz, the chairman of the House oversight and government reform committee, has asked the justice department to expand its review of the FBI’s actions during the election campaign to include the “facts and circumstances surrounding” the firing of Comey.
  • The sacking has attracted scant vocal support among Republicans, while Democrats have drawn comparisons with Watergate.
  • Former FBI agents have reacted with shock and no small amount of trepidation about the bureau’s independence.
  • Trump has continued to attack Democrats for their apparent change of heart on Comey and tied it to his “drain the swamp” slogan.

Updated

The last US president to fire an FBI director was Bill Clinton, who dismissed William Sessions in 1993 over financial irregularities. Time magazine has more detail on Sessions’ downfall.

It makes the point that the reaction of FBI agents to the news in both cases was very different, with “no love lost between Sessions and his subordinates”.

The reasoning behind Trump’s swift dismissal of Comey – assuming the people should be given more detail than simply that he was ‘not doing a good job’ – remains the focus at the moment.

Reuters has it from White House officials that Trump had been frustrated with Comey for months – which supports what White House deputy press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders says – but also that the turning point came when Comey refused to hand Trump aides his planned testimony to a Senate panel.

Trump, his attorney general Jeff Sessions and deputy Rod Rosenstein had wanted a heads-up from Comey about what he would say at a hearing on May 3 about his handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

When Comey refused, Trump and his aides considered that an act of insubordination and it was one of the catalysts for the decision, the officials told Reuters.

“It gave the impression that he was no longer capable of carrying out his duties,” one official said. Previews of congressional testimony to superiors are generally considered courteous.

A remorseless Washington Post has revived the issue of White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s spell in, or near, the wilderness after news of Comey’s sacking broke. Here is our rundown of what David Smith describes as one of Spicer’s most peculiar briefings yet.

This story has been updated to more precisely describe Spicer's location near White House bushes on Tuesday night https://t.co/kRwAq4lLeo

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 11, 2017

FBI agents around the country are still grappling with the news of James Comey’s sudden departure, with many shocked at the manner of the sacking and what it might mean for the bureau’s independence.

One recently retired agent, who served for 26 years, said: “Although they [the White House] have said publicly that they’re trying to restore faith in the FBI and the integrity of its leadership, it is, by all appearances, just the opposite.”

“I don’t think there’s any way not to think that’s going to have a chilling effect on how that investigation [into Russian interference in the US election] is conducted.”

Lois Beckett has the full story here:

Stepping away from Comey for a moment, Senator John McCain has launched another broadside against Trump, pledging oppose the president’s pick for trade representative owing to the administration’s “ongoing, incoherent and inconsistent trade message”.

He and fellow Republican senator Ben Sasse say in a letter that they find Robert Lighthizer’s criticism of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) “alarming” and point out that the US should have an envoy “who will renegotiate Nafta in order to build on its successes, not as a pretext for unraveling it”.

An intriguing message from Dana Shell Smith, who is the US ambassador to Qatar. Quite a strident statement for a diplomat, one might think.

Increasingly difficult to wake up overseas to news from home, knowing I will spend today explaining our democracy and institutions.

— Dana Shell Smith (@AmbDana) May 10, 2017

Some people not such a fan of Trump’s homemade video, particularly the dramatic musical ending.

Here’s the soundtrack Trump purchased for this video. Price: $219.95. Money well spent https://t.co/dJzBoxiMLS

— Jon Passantino (@passantino) May 11, 2017

Jason Chaffetz, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sent a letter to the Justice Department’s inspector general today asking him to expand the review of the FBI’s actions during the 2016 election to include the “facts and circumstances surrounding” the firing of Comey.

“You stated previously that your work includes an examination of whether Comey’s public communications and notifications to Congress about the Clinton investigation comported with Justice Department and FBI policies and procedures,” Chaffetz wrote. “You separately stated ‘if circumstances warrant, the OIG will consider including other issues that may arise during the course of the review.’ The recommendation to remove Comey indeed warrants such consideration. “

The inspector general review began in January. Chaffetz announced in April that he will not seek reelection in 2018.

Jason Chaffetz asks DOJ Inspector General to expand probe to include the decision to remove James Comey. pic.twitter.com/3q4blmMSn0

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 11, 2017

Donald Trump has continued to prosecute his point that the Democrats didn’t have much love for Comey, and appears to have linked the sacking of the director to his efforts to #DrainTheSwamp

The Democrats should be ashamed. This is a disgrace!#DrainTheSwamp pic.twitter.com/UfbKEECm2V

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 11, 2017

This is Graham Russell, by the way, taking the baton from Julia as blogger #3. Comey’s letter comes across as really quite upbeat, though there may be just the hint of a pointed remark. He tells his staff that the people should see the FBI as a “rock of competence, honesty and independence”. He adds: “My hope is that you will continue to live our values and the mission of protecting the American people and upholding the constitution.”

Comey writes that he is “not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed”, adding “it is done and I will be fine”.

CNN has published what it says is James Comey’s farewell letter to staff, in which he says he has “long believed that a president can fire an FBI director for any reason, or for no reason at all”.

Just obtained First on CNN --- Comey writes farewell letter to his former staff and friends pic.twitter.com/Y0zy8NAo6J

— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) May 11, 2017

Donald Trump’s decision to meet with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in the Oval Office amid the firestorm over his firing of James Comey has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Politico, Trump issued the invitation at the “specific request” of Vladimir Putin.

Lavrov, who has served as foreign minister since 2004, had been persona non grata at the White House since 2013, Politico reports. Trump reversed that protocol following a phone call with Putin:

“He chose to receive him because Putin asked him to,” a White House spokesman said of Trump’s Lavrov meeting. “Putin did specifically ask on the call when they last talked.”

Read the rest of Politico’s report on the significance of the Lavrov meeting here.

Former FBI agents voice anger and humiliation over Comey firing

Donald Trump’s firing of the FBI director, James Comey, has left FBI agents shocked, angry and humiliated, with some former agents worried that the president has fundamentally compromised the bureau’s prized political neutrality.

Bobby Chacon, a former FBI agent who served in Los Angeles and New York and retired in 2014, compared the abrupt firing to “a punch in the stomach to agents”.

“I myself, and I would speak for a lot of agents, feel very disrespected by the administration and how this was handled,” he told the Guardian. Other former agents said the way Comey was fired was an “outrage” and said that the Trump administration’s approach “besmirches the reputation of the FBI”.

Read the entire piece here.

Calls are mounting for some kind of independent investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 election, but the path to get one is narrow, the Guardian’s Oliver Laughland and Jon Swaine report.

Congress could pass legislation to appoint an independent prosecutor, but Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell’s opposition to such a move makes it unlikely.

What seems like the only remaining option – the appointment of a special counsel – now lies solely in the hands of the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the same man, deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who authored the letter that led to Comey’s sacking in the first place.

For more on how we got here, and what could happen next, read the entire piece here.

House minority leader Nancy Pelosi has threatened to force a vote on a bill that would create an independent panel to investigate ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, the AP reports.

Pelosi wrote a letter to House Democrats saying they would use a parliamentary maneuver to force a vote on the legislation if Paul Ryan doesn’t schedule one “immediately upon our return next week” from recess.

The letter said the Democrats could use a discharge petition, which would allow the legislation to go straight to the floor and skip committees, according to the AP.

Pelosi said the “fireworks at the Department of Justice demand that we remove the investigation from the Trump-appointed Justice Department leadership.”

Reuters has added another possible motive for Comey’s firing to the mix: the refusal of the former FBI director to give the White House a “preview” of his 3 May senate testimony on the Clinton email investigation.

Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had wanted a heads-up from Comey about what he would say at a May 3 hearing about his handling of an investigation into former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

When Comey refused, Trump and his aides considered that an act of insubordination and it was one of the catalysts to Trump’s decision this week to fire the FBI director, the officials said.

The Reuters report comes amid a flurry of speculation and leaks over Trump’s true motivation. The New York Times reported this evening that Trump was “enraged” by Comey’s testimony that the thought of swaying the election made him feel “slightly nauseous”.

Senate subpoenas Michael Flynn in Russia probe

The Senate Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena for former national security advisor Michael Flynn today, a striking escalation of the inquiry into Russian interference in the US election.

Senator Richard Burr, the chairman of the intelligence committee, released a statement Wednesday evening revealing the subpoena, which seeks documents relevant to the Russia investigation. The committee requested the documents in a letter to Flynn on 28 April, Burr said, but Flynn’s attorney refused to comply.

Flynn resigned from his post as national security adviser on 13 February, following reports that he had misled the vice president about his contacts with Russians.

Per a Senate historian, this is the 1st subpoena Senate Intel has issued since their 9/11 joint inquiry --> https://t.co/Zw4lVI4bfg

— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) May 10, 2017

Paul Ryan supports firing decision, rejects call for new investigation

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan tonight expressed support for Trump’s decision to fire Comey and rejected calls for an independent investigation or special prosecutor.

“The truth is James Comey had just basically lost the confidence of a lot of Democrats and Republicans based on his actions and comments,” Ryan said. “It is entirely within the president’s role and authority to relieve him, and that’s what he did.”

Ryan described Comey as “compromised”, adding, “The president made a presidential decision.”

Asked about demands for an independent investigation or special prosecutor, Ryan said: “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

The Republican leader said that the three current investigations – by the Senate Intelligence Committee, House Intelligence Committee, and FBI – were “the way to go”.

Ryan’s comments – his first on the unfolding controversy – were made on Fox News this evening, after the politician assiduously dodged questions during a visit to an Ohio factory.

With the FBI’s Russia investigation now under a cloud of uncertainty, one senator is preparing to play hardball.

Senator Ron Wyden, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, announced today that he will block confirmation of a Trump nominee until the Treasury Department provides the Senate Intelligence Committee with documents related to Trump’s financial dealings with Russia.

The nominee in question is Sigal Mandelker, who was tapped to serve as Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, which investigates financial crimes and threats such as money laundering.

“I have stated repeatedly that we have to follow the money if we are going to get to the bottom of how Russia has attacked our democracy,” Wyden said in a statement. “That means thoroughly review any information that relates to financial connections between Russia and President Trump and his associates, whether direct or laundered through hidden or illicit transactions.”

NEW: Sen. @RonWyden places hold on nominee until Treasury Dept. provides requested documents related to any Trump-Russia financial dealings pic.twitter.com/cqS4R1pkMf

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) May 10, 2017

Dick Durbin, the senate minority whip from Illinois, just took to the Senate floor with some flashy visual aids: blown up photographs of Trump’s meetings this morning with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and ambassador Sergey Kislyak. (For more on that meeting, read the Guardian’s world affairs editor Julian Borger’s report here.)

An interesting side note about Durbin’s pictures: photographs of Lavrov shaking hands with Trump were made available to the US media by the Russian foreign ministry because the White House barred reporters and photographers from the meeting.

Russia ranks 148th on the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, compared to the United States, which sits at 43rd.

.@SenatorDurbin remarks on #ComeyFiring - LIVE on C-SPAN2 https://t.co/yCNjVeHlYj pic.twitter.com/ucusw6unur

— CSPAN (@cspan) May 10, 2017

Sessions and Rosenstein interview candidates to replace Comey

A Department of Justice official confirmed that attorney general Jeff Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein interviewed four candidates for FBI director today:

  • Adam Lee, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia division Previously, Lee worked as the section chief of the FBI’s Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section at the bureau’s Washington, DC headquarters
  • Michael Anderson, the special agent in charge of the Chicago division. Anderson has previously overseen high-profile investigations of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
  • Paul Abbate, the executive assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch
  • William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center

The attorney general and deputy attorney general also met Tuesday with acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, who is also being considered for the job.

James Comey’s sacking is not going over well among the rank-and-file of the FBI, according to numerous reports.

Politico spoke to one longtime agent who was “literally in tears” over the unexpected news, and others who expressed shock, anger, and suspicion.

A “recently retired top FBI official” described the mood to Politico: “If this had happened immediately after the election, that would be one thing. Everyone was thinking it may happen then. But now? People keep asking if it’s because of Russia.”

A “senior FBI official” told the New York Times that the firing had “severely damaged” Trump’s reputation within the bureau, with some agents particularly upset by the fact that Comey learned of his dismissal on television.

According to Bloomberg, some agents expressed their disapproval the old fashioned way – by changing their Facebook profile pictures to a photo of Comey.

CNN’s Jake Tapper is reporting that Comey was fired for two reasons – neither of them covered by the official narrative about Rosenstein’s memo. Citing an anonymous “source close to Comey”, Tapper reports the reasons were:

“1. Comey never provided the President with any assurance of personal loyalty.

2. The fact that the FBI’s investigation into possible Trump team collusion with Russia in the 2016 election was not only not going anywhere – the investigation was accelerating.”

Source to @jaketapper: 2 reasons Comey was fired
1. Comey never provided Trump w assurance of loyalty
2. FBI's Russia probe was accelerating pic.twitter.com/vG5bmTCPeg

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) May 10, 2017

Hi readers, this is Julia Carrie Wong in San Francisco, taking over the live blog.

Reactions to Comey’s firing continue to pour in from lawmakers and politicians. The New York Times has compiled a very handy list here, with responses divided into four categories: calls for a special prosecutor, calls for an independent investigation, “questions or concerns” and “neutral or support.”

Unsurprisingly, the breakdown is partisan, with just three Republicans calling for an independent investigation, and zero supporting a special prosecutor.

Notably absent from the list is Paul Ryan. The speaker of the House is at a factory in Ohio today, but declined to answer questions from reporters. Ryan is scheduled to appear on Fox News at 6pm tonight.

.@SpeakerRyan during factory tour in Ohio declines to answer multiple questions about FBI Director Comey's firing

— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) May 10, 2017

Trump: Democrats are 'phony hypocrites'

Trump says Democrats are feigning discomfort with the firing of Comey to score political points. That view omits the possibility, among others, that people have honestly come-by concerns that a reckless executive has committed an egregious abuse of power and damaged the rule of law possibly to protect himself or his friends from the rule of law.

Dems have been complaining for months & months about Dir. Comey. Now that he has been fired they PRETEND to be aggrieved. Phony hypocrites!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

Warren: 'no doubt' firing was a cover-up

Senator Elizabeth Warren tells CNN that Comey’s firing was meant “to cut off any investigation into... any connections with the Russians”:

.@SenWarren tells @mkraju "there's just no doubt" that the firing of James Comey was a cover-up https://t.co/42GirwKXNH

— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) May 10, 2017

Russia toys with US media

Sergei Lavrov came to Washington on Wednesday after an absence of four years and was absolutely shocked – shocked! – to hear that Russia had been accused of meddling in US internal affairs.

There also seemed to have been some fuss about the FBI director James Comey’s abrupt dismissal the night before, in the midst of a multi-pronged investigation into Russian interference.

“Was he fired? You’re kidding! You’re kidding!” the Russian foreign minister exclaimed when a journalist asked him whether Comey’s downfall might throw a shadow over the Russian’s visit. The surprise was archly theatrical of course, delivered with the knowing smirk of Captain Renault expressing astonishment at gambling going on in the casino in Casablanca.

While Lavrov toyed with the press, his host, Rex Tillerson, stood by smiling, silent and upstaged outside his seventh floor office before giving the press a little wave and walking away with the Russian for a closed door meeting, then taking him to see Donald Trump at the White House.

Later that morning, Lavrov would shrug off the political crisis surrounding the Trump campaign’s contacts with the Russian government during the election, and the US intelligence community’s conclusion that Moscow had sought to skew the vote in Trump’s favour, as mere “fake news” that humiliated the US.

Read the full piece:

Spotlight shines on deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein

The man who wrote the memo providing Donald Trump with the rationale he used to fire FBI director James Comey is a career prosecutor with a reputation for being “honorable” and surprisingly nonpartisan – and he has only been working for the Trump administration for two weeks.

Rod Rosenstein, Trump’s deputy attorney general, was confirmed by the Senate in late April with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans. He was praised as a trustworthy choice for a fraught position overseeing the investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election – a role that the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, had to recuse himself from after failing to disclose his meetings with Russia’s ambassador during the campaign.

Read the full piece:

If Comey does testify before the senate next week, it will be in a closed session, according to a spokesman for intelligence committee chairman Richard Burr.

That means we wouldn’t get to watch and wouldn’t know what Comey said.

The Senate Intel committee has invited Comey to meet Tuesday in *closed* session, Burr spokesperson Becca Glover Watkins confirms

— Rebecca Berg (@rebeccagberg) May 10, 2017

Had Comey lost the confidence of the FBI rank-and-file? The White House asserts he had. Reporting suggests he had not.

White House says they've talked to "countless" FBI agents that had lost faith in Comey. I haven't talked to anyone in the FBI who says that.

— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) May 10, 2017

Read also: FBI agents in tears as news of Comey’s firing spread

Q: Who’s the next FBI director going to be?

A: “There are several individuals being considered and the first step will be selecting the interim director... as of today, the department of justice is handling the first step.”

White House: Clinton 'would have fired Comey immediately'

Huckabee Sanders is asked whether Comey’s firing won’t make bipartisan comity, and thus legislative scores, more difficult to achieve:

Frankly I’m surprised that it did create a divide since you’ve had so many Republicans and Democrats call for Comey to be gone.

She adds: “If Hillary Clinton won, and thank God she didn’t, she would have fired Comey immediately.”

Updated

Huckabee Sanders, on frustration at the decision among the FBI rank-and-file:

We’ve heard from countless members of the FBI that say very different things. The president will be meeting with acting director McCabe to discuss [morale at the FBI]” and might visit the bureau.

Updated

White House: special prosecutor unnecessary

Huckabee Sanders on a possible special prosecutor: “We don’t think it’s necessary. You’ve got a House committee, a Senate committee and the Department of Justice.”

Updated

Huckabee Sanders, on how Comey was fired (via a letter carried to the FBI by Trump’s personal bodyguard):

He followed the proper protocol in that process which is handwritten notification. No matter how you fire someone, it’s never an easy process.

She says she’s not aware of Trump and Comey having spoken.

On whether Trump was aware of Comey’s request for further resources for the Russia inquiry:

Not that I’m aware of, ask the justice department.

Updated

Huckabee Sanders says she can’t comment on the reported subpoenas seeking info from Michael Flynn associates.

On the question of deciding whether to appoint a special prosecutor, she says: “I believe that would fall to the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein.”

Huckabee Sanders says it’s a good thing “to have Comey out of the way so there’s someone leading this process that everybody across the board has respect and confidence in”.

Updated

Huckabee Sanders, on Trump’s view of the Russian investigations in Congress and the FBI:

He wants them to continue with whatever they see appropriate and fit... we encourage them to complete this investigation so we can put it behind us.. .there’s no evidence between the Trump campaign and Russia.”

Updated

Q: Can we expect more firings?

A: “Not that I’m aware of today.”

Huckabee Sanders won’t describe when Comey told Trump that Trump was not under investigation. Trump’s letter to Comey said Comey told him three times that he, Trump, was not personally under investigation.

Updated

Huckabee Sanders is trashing Comey’s leadership of the FBI and conduct within the justice department.

Then she denies that the meetings with Lavrov and Kissinger had been long-planned:

These were meetings that have been on the books for a while. They didn’t just happen... there’s not a strategy to go after the Democrats on this... the Democrats are trying to politicize and take away something he should be doing.

When was the decision to fire made?

He made the decision with the final decision to move forward with it was yesterday” but “he had been considering” firing Comey ever since he took office and “there was no request by him to have a review at the department of justice.”

Updated

Huckabee Sanders bypasses a question about Russia, saying she’s sure we’ll get back to that.

Updated

Comey “took a stick of dynamite and threw it in the Department of Justice” by calling a press conference last July and saying there was no prosecutable case against Hillary Clinton, Sanders says.

When did Trump lose confidence in Comey?

Huckabee Sanders:

I think it’s been an erosion of confidence. I think that director Comey has shown in the last several months and the last year a lot of missteps and mistakes ... frankly I think it’s startling that Democrats aren’t celebrating this.

Updated

White House: Trump asked Rosenstein to put concerns in writing

Question: Did the president direct Rosenstein to write this memo?

Answer: “No ... but he did have a conversation with the deputy attorney general ... [and the attorney general] ... [Trump] asked them to put those concerns in writing ... he asked them to put that recommendation in writing, but he came to him on his [sic] own.”

Updated

White House briefing begins

Sarah Huckabee Sanders has begun the White House briefing, for which she is filling Sean Spicer’s role – unclear why. You can watch here on CSPAN.

Sessions, Rosenstein met with Trump on Monday – report

Attorney general Jeff Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein met with Trump at the White House on Monday and told him he should fire Comey, McClatchy reports without citing sources.

The exclusive report makes Trump’s decision to fire Comey sound like a reaction to a concrete justice department recommendation.

The report says Trump “called a handful of senators of both parties to inform them of the news”.

Updated

Senate invites Comey to testify – reports

The Republican chairman and ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee have invited Comey to testify next Tuesday but haven’t heard back yet, according to multiple reports.

Updated

Whom can Trump trust?

A Republican close to President tells me Trump has been increasingly isolated in recent days. Frustrated, avoiding major public appearances

— Robert Costa (@costareports) May 10, 2017

Trump advisers leaking to media are now deliberately sabotaging presidency. Major house cleaning needed for survivalhttps://t.co/MH1lGXoN4C

— MATT DRUDGE (@DRUDGE) May 10, 2017

Justice department walks back denial of Times report

Earlier today the justice department denied a New York Times report that Comey in recent days had “asked the justice department for a significant increase in money and personnel for the bureau’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election”.

The Times report has been changed from that original wording to refer to “resources”, not “money and personnel”.

That latest characterization squares with a new justice department explanation of what Comey had asked for.

Update: Spokeswoman Sarah Flores said "more resources" stead of "more money." Tells reporters she spoke directly w/ Rosenstein about reports https://t.co/tmjpi4pipo

— Ram Ramgopal (@RamCNN) May 10, 2017

Updated

Further reactions from elected officials

Republican senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa: ‘Suck it up’

Chuck Grassley on Comey firing: "Suck it up and move on" https://t.co/im9LZf9odE

— Brianne Pfannenstiel (@brianneDMR) May 10, 2017

Republican senator David Perdue of Georgia: ‘I stand behind’ Trump

President Trump acted decisively and within his authority, and I stand behind him. The FBI is much larger than one person and the bureau has thousands of agents working hard every day to keep our nation safe. I am confident a new permanent director will be nominated and confirmed as soon as possible.

Republican representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina: thanks to Comey

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-SC: https://t.co/bZtCwIx1UX pic.twitter.com/LsnrHEFQYd

— Derek Willis (@derekwillis) May 10, 2017

Republican representative Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania: ‘confounding and troubling’

pic.twitter.com/DbEiQA1Ub0

— Rep. Charlie Dent (@RepCharlieDent) May 10, 2017

Democratic senator Bob Casey: ‘Nixonian’

This is Nixonian. Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein must immediately appoint a special prosecutor to continue the Trump/Russia investigation.

— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) May 9, 2017

Updated

Putin: 'we had nothing to do with it'

Putin, suited up for hockey, shrugs when asked about the Comey firing. He says Trump acted “according to his competence” and “we had nothing to do with it” and the effect on US-Russian relations would be nil. He also observed that the question was funny at that moment.

Our @elizapalmer caught Russian Pres. Putin rink side and asked him about the firing of former. Dir. Comey. pic.twitter.com/3nytJYi0si

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) May 10, 2017

Updated

The justice department has denied the New York Times report that Comey recently requested new money and personnel to conduct the Russia-Trump inquiry:

BREAKING: Justice Dept spokeswoman flatly denies that Comey asked for more money and resources for Trump-Russia probe, contra reports

— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) May 10, 2017

Updated

Trump and Putin to meet this summer, Lavrov says

Here’s Julian Borger on Lavrov’s news conference:

Lavrov rejected Russian role in US politics as fake news. Praised Trump-Tillerson as being more "businesslike" that Obama..1/2

— Julian Borger (@julianborger) May 10, 2017

Lavrov 2/2 Said there was a "common understanding" on concept of "de-escalation zones" in Syria, with the US taking initiative in the south

— Julian Borger (@julianborger) May 10, 2017

Lavrov also said a Trump-Putin meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit scheduled for July was confirmed today.

Comey had requested resources for Russian inquiry – NY Times

The New York Times reports that “days before he was fired,” Comey “asked the Justice Department for a significant increase in money and personnel for the bureau’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election, according to three officials with knowledge of his request.”

From the Times report:

Mr. Comey asked for the resources during a meeting last week with Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who wrote the Justice Department’s memo that was used to justify the firing of the F.B.I. director this week.

Mr. Comey then briefed members of Congress on the meeting in recent days.

Update: the justice department denies the Times report:

BREAKING: Justice Dept spokeswoman flatly denies that Comey asked for more money and resources for Trump-Russia probe, contra reports

— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) May 10, 2017

Updated

Here’s video of the Trump response on Comey:

NEW: Pres. Trump when asked why he fired FBI Director Comey: “Because he wasn’t doing a good job. Very simple, he was not doing a good job” pic.twitter.com/b7zQqlyh4x

— ABC News (@ABC) May 10, 2017

Guardian world affairs editor Julian Borger is waiting on Lavrov at the Russian embassy:

Lavrov just about to start presser at Russian Embassy

— Julian Borger (@julianborger) May 10, 2017

Here’s a report from the White House press pool on the scene they discovered when they entered the Oval Office expecting to find Sergei Lavrov and instead found Henry Kissinger.

Q: Mr. President, why did you fire Director Comey?

TRUMP: “He wasn’t doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job.”

Q: Did it affect your meeting with the Russians today?

TRUMP: “Not at all.”

Trump did not respond when asked if the new FBI director will be in charge of the Russia investigation.

Burr opposes special prosecutor

Republicans are falling in behind the McConnell line: there’s no need for a special prosecutor. That includes North Carolina senator Richard Burr, who heads the intelligence committee, AP reports:

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says there’s no need for a special prosecutor to investigate Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign in the wake of the firing of the FBI director.

Burr says his committee has the jurisdiction and responsibility to continue its Russia investigation and “we are going to do that.”

However Burr reiterated questions about President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey. “The timing of this and the reasoning for it doesn’t make sense to me.”

And, Burr said that the firing “made our task a little more difficult but it didn’t make it impossible so we’ll continue.”

Burr said he spoke to Trump but wouldn’t detail the exchange. He said they didn’t discuss his committee’s investigation

Henry Kissinger, what have you done with Sergei Lavrov?

Pool brought into the Oval. It's Trump and ... Kissinger. pic.twitter.com/1F1CPO4kQw

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) May 10, 2017

Trump on Comey: 'he was not doing a good job'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump on decision to fire James Comey as FBI director: 'He was not doing a good job'

— Steve Peoples (@sppeoples) May 10, 2017

Trump just offered his first public comments on firing Comey while meeting with Henry Kissinger in the Oval Office

— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 10, 2017

Oh, Kislyak was there too, Moscow informs us:

Ambassador Kislyak and President Trump / Посол С.Кисляк и Президент Д.Трамп pic.twitter.com/Ckkx2YL9KX

— Russia in USA 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbUSA) May 10, 2017

The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel compares Republicans’ reactions to the Comey firing to their reactions to the Trump “grab ’em by the pussy” audio. Outrage followed by silence.

For all the attention on Rs with Comey questions, the story is most of the GOP and conservative media closing ranks. https://t.co/aSvDKvZw26

— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) May 10, 2017

Reminiscent of the “Access Hollywood” fallout — lots of attention on Trump critics, who eventually shrugged it off. https://t.co/NDx3xklo9J

— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) May 10, 2017

Moscow releases photo of Lavrov-Trump meeting

#Lavrov - @realDonaldTrump meeting has just started | В Овальном кабинете началась встреча С.Лаврова с Д.Трампом#RussiaUSA #РоссияСША pic.twitter.com/7raFrkWhiC

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) May 10, 2017

First photo of this meeting, which was closed to the press, comes from the Russian government. https://t.co/OdDDF16JAW

— Jordan Fabian (@Jordanfabian) May 10, 2017

Pence: 'right decision, right time'

Pence walking through the Capitol responds to questions about Comey firing: "Right decision, right time."

— Lauren Gambino (@laurenegambino) May 10, 2017

Here’s further reaction, from centrist Republican senator Rob Portman, who asks for a “fuller explanation regarding the president’s rationale”:

I want to thank Director Comey for his service to our country. Regardless of his handling of the Clinton email matter during the presidential election last year — for which both parties had questions and concerns — he has always done what he believed was in the best interest of the country. Given the timing and circumstances of the decision, I believe the White House should provide a fuller explanation regarding the president’s rationale. The American people must have faith in a strong, independent FBI. I’m concerned about eroding trust in this premier law enforcement agency. It is important that whoever is nominated to succeed Director Comey is a highly-qualified and respected leader who will provide a fresh start for the bureau.

And here is part of a transcript of majority leader McConnell’s remarks earlier on the senate floor. He accuses Democrats of playing politics:

So what we have now, Mr. President, is our Democratic colleagues complaining about the removal of an FBI Director whom they themselves repeatedly and sharply criticized, by a man, Rod Rosenstein, whom they repeatedly and effusively praised — when Mr. Rosenstein recommended Mr. Comey’s removal for many of the very reasons they have complained about.

McConnell also opposes “a new investigation,” ie a special prosecutor, and voices support for Rosenstein:

Two investigations are currently ongoing: the Senate Intelligence Committee’s review of Russian active measures and intelligence activities, and the FBI investigation disclosed by Director Comey. Today we will no doubt hear calls for a new investigation which could only serve to impede the current work being done to not only discover what the Russians may have done, but also to let this body and the national security community to develop the countermeasures and warfighting doctrine to see that it doesn’t occur again. Partisan calls should not delay the considerable work of Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner — too much is at stake.

Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein was just confirmed on a bipartisan basis — 94 to 6 — and that sort of fair consideration should continue when the Senate receives an FBI Director nominee. As I said yesterday, once the Senate receives a nomination to fill this position, we will all look forward to a full, fair, and timely confirmation process. This is a critical role that is particularly important as our country continues to face serious threats at home and abroad.

(thanks @smithinamerica)

Rubio, who earlier was “surprised” at the Comey firing, does now have questions, he says:

Sen Marco Rubio R-FL on Comey firing: "I do have questions about why he was dismissed at this time"

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 10, 2017

Lisa Murkowski, the Republican senator from Alaska, agrees that the timing looks suspicious and is open to a special prosecutor:

Should there be a special prosecutor?
Murkowski: "I think it needs to be considered."
Does the timing look suspicious?
Murkowski: "Sure."

— Laura Barrón-López (@lbarronlopez) May 10, 2017

Republican senator James Lankford is “surprised in the timing”:

Sen James Lankford R-OK on Comey: "A little surprised in the timing; trying to find out why this was the moment"

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 10, 2017

Updated

Rosenstein declines comment

A Boston Globe reporter reached on his cell phone deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who signed the letter that Trump said motivated Comey’s firing.

Rosenstein declined comment.

.@AnnieLinskey reached Rosenstein on cell

"I'm not going to talk about that. Are you surprised by that?" re letterhttps://t.co/slqw8M2LlE

— Victoria McGrane (@vgmac) May 10, 2017

Lavrov arrives at White House

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is meeting with Trump at the White House, the Associated Press reports:

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top diplomat did not speak to reporters and as he walked into a side entrance Wednesday morning.

Cruz says Comey had 'lost the confidence' of country

Senator Ted Cruz is not known for sacrificing political expediency on the altar of personal principle. In any case his statement about Comey’s firing, just out, says Comey had to go (thx @smithinamerica):

The Director of the FBI needs to be above reproach, with an unquestioned reputation for fairness and impartiality. Unfortunately, Mr. Comey had lost the confidence of both Republicans and Democrats, and, frankly, the American people. The next Director needs to be someone of the utmost integrity who can successfully restore the public’s confidence and lead the men and women of the FBI who selflessly serve and defend our great nation.

Counselor Kellyanne Conway dismisses the notion that Trump’s firing of Comey was “Nixonian”:

was it "Nixonian" for Trump to fire Comey? Kellyanne Conway: "ridiculous"

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 10, 2017

And the Richard Nixon presidential library agrees with her!

FUN FACT: President Nixon never fired the Director of the FBI #FBIDirector #notNixonian pic.twitter.com/PatArKOZlk

— RichardNixonLibrary (@NixonLibrary) May 9, 2017

And the FBI website still lists James Comey as the current director https://t.co/iG75FaoQk2 pic.twitter.com/qM1H3UINRP

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 10, 2017

BREAKING: Justice Department officials say search for interim FBI director underway; Comey deputy has job now

— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) May 10, 2017

The FBI director is meant to have a 10-year term designed not frequently to overlap with presidential terms in order to promote continuity and insulate the work of law enforcement from the vagaries of politics.

Republican senator John McCain:

“When you fire probably arguably the most respected person in America, you better have a very good explanation, and so far I haven’t seen that.”

On the explanation that Comey mishandled the Clinton emails inquiry:

“I don’t believe that that is sufficient rationale for removing the director of the FBI”:

Sen. John McCain says the Hillary Clinton email investigation is not “sufficient rationale” for firing James Comey https://t.co/b1BlZOC7SE pic.twitter.com/KISC170oKk

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 10, 2017

Here’s additional video of Lavrov’s sarcastic reaction to a question about Comey’s firing:

Russian foreign minister feigns shock over firing of James Comey

Lavrov's attitude here (his cocky body language & scornful sarcasm) is very disturbing. https://t.co/q2NnrmYEDZ

— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) May 10, 2017

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has rejected calls for a special prosecutor to investigate ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. “Today we’ll no doubt hear calls for a new investigation, which could only serve to impede the current work being done,” McConnell said on the senate floor.

Republican senator Rand Paul is also with the “meh” crowd:

Hypocrisy and fake outrage? Dems had been calling for months for the firing of Comey!

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 10, 2017

Another Republican congressman with “concerns”...

Like many Americans, I have serious concerns and unanswered questions about the timing of Director Comey's dismissal.

— Rep. Mike Gallagher (@RepGallagher) May 10, 2017

...and Trump won his district by 17 points.

Republican senator Ted Cruz reacts... sort of:

Asked about Comey firing, Sen Ted Cruz R-TX tells reporters he will put out a written statement

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 10, 2017

Republican elected officials continue to express misgivings about the Comey firing. Here’s Arizona senator Jeff Flake, a longtime Trump critic:

I've spent the last several hours trying to find an acceptable rationale for the timing of Comey's firing. I just can't do it.

— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) May 10, 2017

And here’s Virginia congresswoman Barbara Comstock calling for an independent investigation:

Another Republican, Rep. Barbara Comstock of Virginia, calls for an independent investigation into Russia/2016. pic.twitter.com/zzZ2GXPq6Z

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) May 10, 2017

Here’s video of Schumer speaking on the floor:

Schumer: "The dismissal of Director Comey establishes a very troubling pattern." —via @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/khLMrB3QB9

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 10, 2017

Here’s further reaction to the Comey news, this time from two Democratic senators:

Senator Dianne Feinstein, former intelligence committee chairwoman: was Russia inquiry behind firing?

The real question we face today is whether Director Comey was fired because of the Clinton email investigation—which could have happened in January—or whether he was fired because of the FBI’s investigation of Trump connections to Russia.

If Director Comey was fired to stifle the FBI’s Russia investigation—and the timing of this action makes that a real possibility—that simply can’t be allowed to happen.

Toward that end, I plan to work closely with Senator Blumenthal on the appointment of an independent prosecutor. I will also support Deputy AG Rosenstein in the appointment of a special counsel who should be far removed from the politics of this place. [...]

Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut: ‘it simply defies logic’

No matter the mistakes that Director Comey has made, the timing of his firing clearly suggests that President Trump is trying to influence or upend the FBI’s investigation into his campaign’s possible collusion with a foreign government. It simply defies logic that President Trump, who made the FBI investigation of Hillary Clinton’s e-mails a centerpiece of his campaign, would all of the sudden convert to the view that Clinton was treated unfairly.

Two things must happen now. First, clearly the time is now for an independent prosecutor. The president’s continued refusal to support the appointment of a prosecutor would confirm America’s worst fears about the motivation for Comey’s firing. Second, the Senate must rise to this constitutional challenge and insist that Director Comey be replaced by a person of unquestioned independence and integrity, not a partisan hack. The Senate, designed by the Founding Fathers as the guardian of democratic norms, must now rise to meet the gravity of this moment.

When Trump met Comey:

Pres. Trump greets FBI Director James Comey during First Responders ceremony at the White House: "He's become more famous than me." pic.twitter.com/9Rdgyqi1iM

— ABC News (@ABC) January 22, 2017

"More famous than me." Is it possibly as simple as that? https://t.co/3GafnPgi0f

— Joshua Hersh (@joshuahersh) May 10, 2017

Schumer calls for Sessions and Rosenstein to hold briefing

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer is on the senate floor speaking about Comey’s firing. He asks why attorney general Jeff Sessions, after recusing himself from the Russian inquiry, could weigh in on the firing of the FBI director running that inquiry.

“Are reports that the president was searching to fire the FBI director for weeks true?” Schumer wonders.

Was this really about something else? No doubt we’ll have the opportunity to question Mr Comey, now a private citizen... but we need to hear from this administration.

Schumer calls for a closed briefing with Sessions and Rosenstein.

Updated

Dark and dangerous new territory for American democracy

Donald Trump’s decision to fire the FBI director, James Comey, who was investigating links between the president’s associates and the Russian government, has taken US democracy into dark and dangerous new territory. That was the assessment of Democratic leaders, legal observers and security experts last night, with some drawing direct comparisons to Watergate and tinpot dictatorships.

FBI directors are given 10-year terms in office, precisely to insulate them from politics. It is very rare to fire them. The last time it happened was 24 years ago, when Bill Clinton sacked William Sessions, who had clung to office despite a damning internal ethics report detailing abuse of office, including the use of an FBI plane for family trips.

Comey’s sacking has taken place in very different circumstances. It came on a night when CNN reported that a grand jury had issued subpoenas in the investigation of the Trump camp’s contacts with Russian officials, and after Comey had confirmed to Congress that more than one person connected to the Trump campaign was the subject of an FBI counter-intelligence investigation. Comey had also indicated that he was investigating leaks from inside the FBI to the Trump campaign in the course of the election.

The New York Times has reported that Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions, was “charged with coming up with reasons to fire him”. The official reason offered was Comey’s handling of the enquiry into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for classified information. Comey’s announcement in July 2016 that there would no be prosecution, while criticising the Democratic presidential candidate and her aides for being “extremely careless” in their handling of classified material, is singled out in a memo by the newly appointed deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein.

In one of the first acts in his new job, Rosenstein said Comey had exceeded his authority with that announcement.

Comey was castigated from both sides for his handling of the Clinton emails. But Democrats were adamant on Tuesday that was not the real reason for his dismissal. It was pointed out that during the campaign, Trump and his team warmly praised Comey’s decision to speak up.

Updated

Eric Columbus, a former Obama justice department employee, shares information about deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, whose recommendation the White House says it took in firing Comey.

Columbus points out that in the letter circulated by the White House, Rosenstein does not actually recommend firing Comey. Here’s Columbus’ thread, culminating with musing on whether Rosenstein will appoint a special prosecutor, with a link to Rosenstein’s letter at bottom:

THREAD: The key player here is Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Rosenstein. I spent 5 yrs in the DAG’s office under Obama. Please indulge me.

— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) May 10, 2017

Rosenstein is a rare breed – a Bush political appointee who Obama kept on for eight years, as U.S. Attorney for Maryland. (2/22)

Rosenstein was particularly beloved by then-Senator Barbara Mikulski, at whose recommendation Obama kept him. (3/22)

Dems praised Rosenstein at his DAG confirmation hearing, he was confirmed 94-6, and he took office on April 25 (4/22)

It’s no coincidence that the Comey firing took place now. Trump laundered it through Rosenstein to boost its legitimacy. (5/22)

Rosenstein’s letter to Sessions blasts Comey’s handling of Clinton case in terms that could have been written by a Clinton staffer. (6/22)

But one thing Rosenstein’s letter doesn’t do -- and it took me a second read to note this -- is expressly recommend Comey be fired. (7/22)

Sure, it comes very, very close to doing so. The title is “Restoring Public Confidence in the FBI” and it has language like this: (8/22)

“FBI is unlikely 2 regain public/congressional trust until has Director who understands gravity of mistakes & pledges never 2 repeat.”(9/22)

But it never expressly recommends that POTUS fire Comey. Is this deliberate? Who knows. (10/22)

Quite possibly Rosenstein, like most of us, thought Comey screwed up but didn’t want him fired with Russia investigation pending. (11/22)

Yet Sessions wanted a memo on Comey’s sins, and Rosenstein felt he had to oblige his boss . . . (12/22)

. . . as long as he didn’t have to expressly say something he didn’t believe, i.e. that Comey should be fired now. (13/22)

I suspect that the letter’s final paragraph -- whose sentences fit together awkwardly -- was highly negotiated. (14/22)

Why does any of this matter? Sessions is recused from Russia, so it falls to Rosenstein to decide whether to appoint special counsel.(15/22)

Rosenstein is no dummy. He knows that no one buys that Trump/Sessions wanted to fire Comey for actions they praised at the time! (16/22)

And he cares about DOJ’s reputation. He’s not a hack -- he’s been at DOJ for 27 years, under five different presidents. (17/22)

Note his language about the FBI -- he worries that it now lacks “public and congressional trust.” Same could be said now about DOJ. (18/22)

Appointing a special counsel would help DOJ regain that trust -- both with the public and with Congress. (19/22)

Sure, he’s not likely to get much pushback from this Congress, but if Dems win House or Senate in 2018, all hell could break loose. (20/22)

Comey did the wrong thing on 10/28 because he feared hell from Congress. Rosenstein could do the right thing for the same reason! (21/22)

I think he’ll do it. Would it shock me if he didn’t? No, because after 2015, as you may have noticed, shock ceased to be a thing. (22/22)

Guardian world affairs editor Julian Borger was in the room for the Lavrov moment. Julian notes that the Lavrov-Tillerson meeting is to be followed by one between Lavrov and Trump in about an hour.

You had to be there to get the full measure of sarcasm and disdain in these comments https://t.co/etCKpa90E2

— Julian Borger (@julianborger) May 10, 2017

Today’s presidential briefing will be conducted not by Sean Spicer, the press secretary, but by one of his subordinates, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House has announced.

No word on why. The Washington Post captured a strange scene outside the White House last night in which Spicer hid in the bushes and refused to go on camera:

No one writes scenes like @wpjenna, but this is insane. https://t.co/lGFViQJXAr pic.twitter.com/cUIREoN6WG

— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) May 10, 2017

Updated

Trump denies that he spoke with Stone

Contra Politico’s earlier report that Roger Stone – the political operative whose name has come up a lot on the Russia inquiry – recommended to Trump that he fire Comey, here’s the president:

The Roger Stone report on @CNN is false - Fake News. Have not spoken to Roger in a long time - had nothing to do with my decision.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

This is going to be even more of a "the president live-tweets cable news" day than usual, isn't it? https://t.co/yng6Z77YDo

— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) May 10, 2017

Update: Stone denies:

I am not the source of Politico/ CNN stories claiming I urged @realDonaldTrump 2 fire Comey. Never made such claim. I support decision 100%

— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) May 10, 2017

Updated

If Lavrov did not know about Comey (he was being sarcastic), it’s not because the news failed to reach the Russian media space. The Guardian’s Alec Luhn translates reaction on Twitter from Russian legislator Alexei Pushkov:

The FBI director was surprised by the decision to fire him. He was so busy monitoring the ‘Russian threat’ that he didn’t see the threat of his own dismissal.

Updated

Lavrov expresses shock at Comey firing

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is meeting today with secretary of state Rex Tillerson.

When the men appeared briefly before cameras, a reporter asked whether Comey’s firing would overshadow their meeting.

At which Lavrov, who apparently has been in a hermetically sealed media blackout egg for the last 12 hours, expresses shock:

“Was he fired? You’re kidding. You’re kidding.”

Update: as Guardian world affairs editor Julian Borger, who was in the room, points out, Lavrov was being sarcastic.

Here’s video of Lavrov-Tillerson—>

Q: “Does Comey cast a shadow over your talks?”

Lavrov: “Was he fired? You are kidding, you are kidding" pic.twitter.com/8yJb2DkZnd

— Tom Namako (@TomNamako) May 10, 2017

Updated

Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland sees the Comey firing as a wake-up call for those who had grown sort of used to Trump’s abnormal presidency:

Over the 110 days since, normalisation has indeed looked possible. Partly through simple fatigue, Trump actions that should bring outrage – the egregious conflicts of interest, the naked use of public office to advance private business interests, the coddling of dictators – often produce instead a weary shrug. It’s hard to maintain a permanent state of fury, and so Americans and those watching from around the world have risked becoming inured to what is, in fact, a deeply abnormal presidency.

And then something comes along that is so big and so shocking, it snaps you out of your slumber. The sacking of FBI director James Comey is, for the moment at least, one of those events.

Read the full piece:

We’d meant to include this clip in the previous post. It appears to illustrate the Democratic animus for Comey. A Stephen Colbert audience at first cheers upon hearing news of the firing:

Tonight! Stephen reacts to the day's big surprise: the firing of James Comey by President Trump. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/axuUmFLtSd

— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) May 10, 2017

Why were Democrats mad at Comey?

Because 11 days before the presidential election he sent a letter to Congress announcing that the FBI was pursuing a new lead in its investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails. Some smart elections observers say the move “probably cost Clinton the election”:

1. So I have a looooong article up on the Comey letter's impact, and how the media covered it. https://t.co/6M6EdUgTRF

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 3, 2017

Although other smart election observers think the “Comey effect” was exaggerated:

I am pretty sure that the Comey effect was exaggerated, maybe greatly, by pre-Comey polls released after the letter https://t.co/bBKq7SaCyx pic.twitter.com/mR8PUUdZlC

— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) May 8, 2017

What do we think? We think that if state polls failed to reflect the mood of voters and if voters decided relatively early whom to support and if media headlines don’t move voters as much as some people think, then the “Comey effect” is dubious.

Tim Kaine says he thinks that too:

NPR's @NPRinskeep: Do you think Comey is the reason you're not VP?

Tim Kaine: "No, I don't."

— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) May 10, 2017

Updated

Conway: 'inappropriate' to question timing of firing

Team Trump is out on the airwaves this morning swatting away.

Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway says it’s inappropriate to question the timing of Comey’s firing.

KELLYANNE CONWAY: "You want to question the timing of when [Trump] fires, when he hires. It’s inappropriate. He’ll do it when he wants to."

— David Wright (@DavidWright_CNN) May 10, 2017

Kellyanne getting her chance to prevaricate herself right back into the inner sanctum.

— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) May 10, 2017

Former governor Mike Huckabee, dad to Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, gets off a joke that does not quite land:

That'd be CCN, dumb ass pic.twitter.com/WX79zH5mjx

— eve peyser (@evepeyser) May 10, 2017

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, the head of a subcommittee investigating Trump’s Russia ties, is in the “meh” crowd this morning with regard to the Comey firing:

"This is not Watergate," GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham says on Morning Joe. Notes Democrats called for Comey to be fired. https://t.co/zqfRLjnAMJ

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) May 10, 2017

Watch Trump watch TV

Watching Senator Richard Blumenthal speak of Comey is a joke. "Richie" devised one of the greatest military frauds in U.S. history. For....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

He’s watching TV right now. https://t.co/BYAhShbKTv

— David Frum (@davidfrum) May 10, 2017

Trump's either watching MoJoe or CNN... https://t.co/WUVKcAJe5f

— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 10, 2017

The president is watching cable news and yelling at the TV on Twitter in real time. https://t.co/GAPJiXowJK

— Damon Linker (@DamonLinker) May 10, 2017

Where will conservatives and elected Republicans settle in reaction to the Comey firing?

Will they see a threat to the rule of law, condemn Trump, promote a special prosecution of the Russia inquiry and bring their leverage to bear in Congress, where the president has tenuous health care and tax reform initiatives afloat?

Or will Republicans sense a political opening and once again back the president?

House Speaker Paul Ryan's office issued 3 press releases yesterday: 2 on health care, 1 on South Korea. 0 on Comey. https://t.co/TCNVyJoty6

— Derek Willis (@derekwillis) May 10, 2017

David Frum is a former George W Bush speechwriter and conservative thought-leader who’s long opposed Trump. He ticks off the names of three Republican senators who have expressed a distinct lack of discomfort at the Comey firing:

Grassley, Cornyn, Collins. All aboard the Trump train. pic.twitter.com/G2wx2MS44h

— David Frum (@davidfrum) May 10, 2017

This morning, it seems that 2/3 of what used to be called the conservative moment is jumping aboard as well. https://t.co/C3fYOyXGYo

— David Frum (@davidfrum) May 10, 2017

Rudy?

.@RosieGray Just now: a source close to the president tells me Giuliani is 100% in consideration for the position.

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) May 10, 2017

Not Rudy?

Giuliani tells @rosiegray he's not a candidate for FBI Director https://t.co/t6yxrF7bZ9

— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) May 10, 2017

Rudy Giuliani is a former federal prosecutor and NYC mayor whose hard-line law-and-order views and past Trump support reflect those of the current head of the justice department, attorney general Jeff Sessions.

Trump predicts he will be thanked for firing Comey

Here’s a roundup of Trump tweets about the Comey affair sent last night and this morning:

Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, "I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer." Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

The Democrats have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad!

James Comey will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI.

Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike. When things calm down, they will be thanking me!

While his role in the last presidential election had sullied his reputation, Comey was not the Washington pariah that Trump here makes him out to be. He was admired on both sides of the aisle for his professional integrity and commitment. Both George W Bush and Barack Obama appointed him to top jobs in the justice department. “To know Jim Comey is also to know his fierce independence and his deep integrity,” Obama said in naming him FBI director.

Read more about Comey here:

Trump discussed firing Comey with figure in Russia inquiry – report

In testimony before Congress on 20 March, former FBI director James Comey confirmed in public for the first time that the bureau was investigating Russian ties to the Trump campaign.

One name that came up repeatedly at the hearing: Roger Stone, the Trump associate and political operative who had seemed to predict trouble for Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta in advance of Wikileaks’ release of Podesta’s emails.

Politico reports this morning that Stone was counseling Trump to fire Comey:

While shock dominated much of the FBI and the White House, the mood was more elated at Roger Stone’s house in Florida. Several Stone allies and friends said Stone, who has been frequently mentioned in the investigation, encouraged the president to fire Comey in conversations in recent weeks.

On Twitter, Stone signaled praise for the move by posting an image of Trump from The Apprentice saying “You’re fired.”

Stone declined to comment Tuesday night but said he was enjoying a fine cigar.

Discussing the FBI Director's termination w Roger Stone is so blatantly improper I can't wrap my head around it. https://t.co/9iT1hHICzc pic.twitter.com/zfChSpkgPA

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) May 10, 2017

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of fallout from president Donald Trump’s firing on Tuesday of FBI director James Comey.

The White House has said, in a series of official letters, that Comey was fired for mishandling an investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails. But that explanation is the object of intense skepticism this morning, with critics claiming that Trump has attacked the independence of the justice department and the rule of law, either out of personal anger or impulsiveness, or out of a desire to protect himself or his associates from the law.

Republican senators (no less) have pointed out that at the time of his firing Comey was heading up an investigation of ties between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign. Reports emerged after Comey’s firing on Tuesday night that that investigation had taken a substantive new twist, with grand jury subpoenas being issued for records belonging to associates of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, a central figure in the investigation.

If a desire to derail the Russia inquiry was a factor in Comey’s firing, other elements were also in play, including Trump’s unique personality. The president had grown increasingly angry with his inability to quell the Russian inquiry, according to a Politico report overnight. One of his spokespeople dispatched late Tuesday, Sarah Sanders, told reporters that it was “time to move on” from the Russia question.

Here’s a selection from that Politico piece:

President Trump has been screaming at the television @jdawsey1 reports https://t.co/GsLrFyCs8G pic.twitter.com/Ez5mBz7kZp

— Yashar (@yashar) May 10, 2017

The White House was caught off guard by the strong reaction to the Comey firing, the New York Times reported. A second spokesperson, Sean Spicer, said that the timing of Comey’s firing was the result of a justice department recommendation in a letter that turned out to have been sent that same day. Not all conservatives were buying it:

The Rosenstein memo is dated...today. So there was no real recommendation from DOJ. Trump wanted to do it, and they created a paper trail.

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 9, 2017

This morning in this blog we’ll be collecting reactions to the Comey firing as they unfold. Below is a roundup of reactions to the news last night and this morning from prominent Republicans.

Governor John Kasich: “extremely troubled”

Gov. John Kasich statement on James Comey pic.twitter.com/Wrwj6sGqnz

— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) May 10, 2017

Senator Richard Burr, chairman of the intelligence committee, which is investigating the Trump-Russia link: “troubled”

I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey’s termination.

— Richard Burr (@SenatorBurr) May 9, 2017

Senator John McCain: “disappointed”

While the President has the legal authority to remove the Director of the FBI, I am disappointed in the President’s decision to remove James Comey from office. James Comey is a man of honor and integrity, and he has led the FBI well in extraordinary circumstances. I have long called for a special congressional committee to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. The president’s decision to remove the FBI Director only confirms the need and the urgency of such a committee.

Senator Marco Rubio: “surprised”

Marco Rubio "surprised" by Comey's firing, "but it's a decision the president's made and we'll go from here." https://t.co/PGVFL9o6DK pic.twitter.com/HWVS4DWLsR

— ABC News (@ABC) May 10, 2017

Senator Ben Sasse: “very troubling”

my statement on Comey firing pic.twitter.com/Mc4o4pnQav

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) May 10, 2017

Former NYC mayor and prosecutor Rudy Giuliani: “correct” decision

Just now: Giuliani here at the Trump hotel, says he thinks Trump was correct to fire Comey. pic.twitter.com/a8PiCSbQG4

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) May 10, 2017

Trump himself has started the morning with a typical Twitter blast:

The Democrats have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

Thanks for reading and please join us in the comments.

Contributors

Julia Carrie Wong in San Francisco and Tom McCarthy in New York (earlier) and Graham Russell

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