WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey’s firing (all times local): 9:15 p.m. Former FBI Director James Comey says in a farewell letter that he does not plan to dwell on the decision to fire him or the «way it was executed.»
Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders(Ap-picture at the end of this article) takes questions from members of the media during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 10, 2017. Sanders was asked about the firing of FBI Director James Comey, President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other topics.
He says in the letter that although he’ll be fine, he will miss the FBI and its mission «deeply.» The letter circulated among Comey friends and colleagues. It was posted online by CNN Wednesday night and a person who had seen the note confirmed the online version was authentic.
Comey also says that «in times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence.» He says that «it’s very hard to leave a group of people who are committed only to doing the right thing.»
9 p.m.
The U.S. Ambassador to Qatar has tweeted an atypically critical statement about developments back home.Dana Shell Smith tweeted early Wednesday that it is «Increasingly difficult to wake up overseas to news from home, knowing I will spend today explaining our democracy and institutions.»
Smith didn’t elaborate as to what news she was referring to. Her tweet came a few hours after President Donald Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey amid an ongoing FBI investigation into Russian ties with members of Trump’s campaign.
Trump is the first president since Richard Nixon to fire a law enforcement official overseeing an investigation with ties to the White House.
Smith, a career diplomat, was confirmed as ambassador to Qatar in July 2014.
2:20 p.m.
White House wants the FBI to complete its investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 election.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday «we encourage them to complete investigation» so that it will be proven that «there is no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.»
Sanders said the White House does not think appointing a special prosecutor is necessary.
President Donald Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey Tuesday, amid an investigation into Russian ties to the Trump campaign and meddling in the 2016 election.
2:20 p.m.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says President Donald Trump is meeting with Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe later Wednesday in the aftermath of his firing of FBI director James Comey.
Sanders said during the daily White House briefing that the president will be discussing morale at the FBI. She says that rank-and-file employees of the FBI had lost faith in Comey’s leadership.
She says Trump is willing to make a personal appearance at FBI headquarters if he feels that’s necessary and appropriate.
2:15 p.m.
The Senate intelligence committee has asked ousted FBI Director James Comey to appear before the committee next week.
It is the first time Comey has been asked to appear before Congress as a private citizen since he was fired by President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
Rebecca Watkins, a spokeswoman for the committee, said Wednesday that Comey has been invited to meet in a closed session next Tuesday.
Comey had been slated to appear before the committee later this week to discuss ongoing threats to U.S. security. But the committee says acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe will stand in for Comey at Thursday’s hearing. Several high-ranking intelligence officials will join McCabe at that open hearing.
1:55 p.m.
The White House says that President Donald Trump had considered firing FBI Director James Comey «since the day he was elected president.»
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that the president had «lost confidence» in Comey and acted on the advice of the deputy attorney general and others when he decided to fire him on Tuesday.
Sanders said, «I think it’s been an erosion of confidence» and that there were a lot of «missteps and mistakes» leading up to the decision to let Comey go.
