Sen. Mark Warner says he believes former FBI Director James B. Comey, who said President Trump asked him not to investigate former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
“I believe FBI Director Comey,” the Virginia Democrat said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I think he was very credible in his testimony, in his private meetings with us. And it’s not just Comey. You’ve had, clearly, you’ve had an attorney general who’s had to recuse himself because of untold contacts with the Russians. You had the president of the United States trying to intervene, as has been reported, with other national intelligence leaders, who he appointed, saying, ’Can you back off?’ “
In his June 7 congressional testimony, Mr. Comey said Mr. Trump told him: “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
In a tweet on Sunday morning, the president rebutted the notion that he ordered the former FBI director not to investigate Flynn.
I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
Mr. Trump said Mr. Comey has no credibility, pointing to the way he handled the investigation into former secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017
Mr. Warner said the president is “obsessed” with the investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential race.
This president has been obsessed with this investigation, always saying there’s nothing there,” he said. “But each week another shoe drops where we see more evidence of continuing outreach to Russians and some response by the Trump campaign and Trump individuals.”
Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to lying to the FBI, signaling that he has agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert S. Mueller’s Russia probe.
• Bradford Richardson can be reached at brichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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