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As it happenedended1496954344

Comey testimony as it happened: Trump's lawyer hits back at fired FBI director and says he could be investigated

The Independent will be covering his testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee live 

Alexandra Wilts
Washington DC
Thursday 08 June 2017 21:39 BST
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Former FBI Director James Comey says Donald Trump demanded personal loyalty to him
Former FBI Director James Comey says Donald Trump demanded personal loyalty to him (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

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Former FBI Director James Comey is due to give evidence to the Senate Intelligence Committee about conversations he had with President Donald Trump and whether the former businessman pressured him to drop an investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

The committee has already released his prepared opening statement in which he will confirm under oath that Mr Trump tried to get him to drop the probe into whether General Flynn, who was forced to resign two weeks after the inauguration, had met with Russian officials during the campaign to discuss economic sanctions imposed by Barack Obama.

He will also testify about a pair of phone calls with Mr Trump where he had reportedly complained to him about the FBI's investigation into his campaign team's links with Russia, calling it a "cloud" looming over the presidency and reportedly urged mr comey to state publicly that the President himself was not under investigation.

Follow our liveblog below the video:

James Comey: Trump administration 'defamed' me and FBI with 'lies'

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He goes on to bring up the fact that the Intelligence chiefs who appeared yesterday did not give many answers - that annoyed Democrats 

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:19
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Mr Warner ends by saying that the investigation is not "fake news" - Mr Trump's favourite refrain

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:20
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Mr Comey is sworn in and says he’s not going to repeat the statement released yesterday by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:21
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Mr Comey says shifting explanations for why he was fired "confused me and concerned me". Mr Trump had repeatedly told him that he was doing a good job, he says.

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:22
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Mr Comey says the timing of his firing made no sense to him

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:22
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Mr Comey: "I want the American to know this truth...The FBI is honest. The FBI is strong. And the FBI is and always will be independent"

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:24
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In a pointed moment, Mr Comey tells his former colleagues he is “so sorry” he wasn’t able to say goodbye to them.

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:25
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Mr Comey says the special counsel’s office did not review or edit his written testimony.

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:25
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Comey says that "not to his understanding" was the President trying to get him to close the whole Russia investigation

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:32
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But in terms of Michael Flynn, Mr Comey says Flynn - at that time when Trump asked Mr Comey to ‘let Flynn go’ - was in legal jeopardy.

Comey: "I don’t think it’s for me to say whether the President’s words were an effort to obstruct justice," adding that the special counsel’s office will work to find out if it was an offence.

Mr Comey did call that interaction with the President "disturbing".

Adam Withnall8 June 2017 15:34

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