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The FBI examined four Americans in connection with Donald Trump's campaign from the summer of 2016 for possibly helping the Kremlin to meddle in the presidential election, revealed the former FBI director, James Comey, in testimony ..
was first released Saturday when committees of the House of Judiciary, Control and Reform Government released the transcript of the seven-hour interview, in camera, with Comey.
Comey's Declarations Provide New Information on the Federal Government's Timeline for Investigating the 2016 Presidential Election Between Democratic Party Candidate Hillary Clinton and Trump and Could Provide New Clues to the Department's Perspectives of Justice.
Comey's revelation came as the Office of the Special Adviser accelerated the publication of memos on sentencing and cooperation with several former Trump associates. Over the past two weeks, Robert Mueller's team has provided the public with many new details about the lies of former campaign president, Paul Manafort, about the cooperation of the former advisor. National Security Matters, Michael Flynn, and on Michael Cohen's Harmful Business Relations.
Comey leaked the details of the four Americans linked to Trump in an exchange with Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy.
"At the end of July 2016, the FBI had actually opened a counterintelligence investigation into the matter, is it fair to say that the Trump campaign or Donald Trump himself?" Asked Gowdy.
"It is not fair to say these things, if I remember correctly," said Comey, "We opened investigations on four Americans to see if there was a connection between these four Americans and the Russian intervention, and these four Americans did not include the candidate. "
Comey did not name the four Americans, but he mentioned them again later in the interview when the representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat, supported her more.
"These people were affiliated to the campaign?" She said, "I believe they were in some form." [19659010] " We opened investigations of four Americans to see whether there was a connection between these four Americans and the Russian interference effort. did not include the candidate. "
– The former director of the FBI, James Comey [19659012] "At least some have been," he replied. "The FBI and the Ministry of Justice have not publicly confirmed the names of these people, that's why I will not go into details."
Comey also took the defense of Peter Strzok, a former FBI agent who was at the head of the agency. the counterintelligence operation regarding Hillary Clinton's use of her personal mail server. Strzok also worked on Mueller's investigation, but was fired in the summer of 2017 as a result of SMS's announcement that he had spoken badly about Trump.
After being questioned about the former agent of Democratic Representative Steven Cohen, Comey stated that he had never found any bias on the part of Strzok.
"It's difficult for me to see how he was in the Clinton team at that time," Comey said. "He was also one of the few people in the world who knew we were investigating four Americans who had ties to Mr. Trump in the summer of 2016, and he did not say anything about it." [19659005] Later in the month In his interview, Comey said the FBI suspected these four Americans of helping the Russians to interfere in the elections. The revelation came when Rep. John Ratcliffe, a Republican from Texas, asked him if the FBI suspected Americans of working with the Russians when he informed the Trump campaign of potential intelligence threats.
"[A] At the time the defensive briefing was organized for the Trump candidate, do you know if the FBI had any evidence that anyone associated with the Trump campaign had collaborated, conspired or co-ordinated with One way or another with Russia? .
"I do not know the dates … I do not know if it was before the end of July when we opened the four counter-intelligence files, or not," replied Comey. "And so, if it was after July 29, then the answer would be yes, we had reason to think that there were Americans who could have helped the Russians."
It was widely reported that Mueller was investigating several members of the Trump team and those working or associating with the campaign. Over the past year he has charged several of these individuals, including George Papadopoulos, a former Trump Foreign Policy Advisory Committee member, Rick Gates, a former campaign assistant, Manafort, Cohen and Flynn. Mueller also questioned Jared Kushner and asked for written answers from President Trump
Representatives in the in camera interview asked Comey several questions about the special advocate's investigation into obstruction. At one point, Gowdy asked Comey when he was fired from the FBI.
"He is entitled to his opinion, but to the extent that he also stated that he was also a witness to the investigation," said Cecilia Bessee, a lawyer. for the FBI present at the interview.
"What investigation is he witnessing?" Gowdy asked.
"To the special advocate," said Besse, changing sentence to indicate Comey's witness status. "He said that he was a witness potential ."
"Well, you just said witness," said Gowdy. "Is there an investigation into the obstruction of justice?"
"I think the special council is investigating an investigation," Besse said.
" I have never heard of" collusion ". of the way it has been used in our world in the last two years, "said Comey. "I do not know of a crime involving collusion." "
– James Comey
It is not known if Comey was interviewed by the Special Advocate's Office or what information Mueller would ask l & # 39; old. Director of the FBI.
Comey refrained from answering questions about the written memo. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein wrote that Mueller was the special advocate. However, he told the legislator his views on the design of the global survey and the burning term "collusion".
"The term" survey of Russia "often refers to two different things: first, the investigation to understand what are the Russians making sure to interfere in our election during the period 2015-2016; then, it is often used to refer to FBI counterinsurgency investigations at the end of July, "said Comey, adding that he did not understand what the word" collusion "meant.
"I have never heard the term" collusion "& # 39; used in the way it has been used in our world in the last two years before, "said Comey." I do not know any crime involving collusion. "
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