I have come to terms with my sacking, says Comey in letter to FBI

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump blasted ousted FBI chief James Comey as a “showboat” and “grandstander” on Thursday even as the agency’s acting leader contradicted the President’s account that the agency had been in turmoil before he fired Comey.

In testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, acting FBI director Andrew Mccabe promised to tell the panel of any White House meddling into the agency’s probe of possible Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mccabe also declined to say whether he ever heard Comey tell Trump that the President was not a target of the investigation into possible collusion between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign.

Mccabe testified in place of Comey, who Trump abruptly dismissed as FBI director on Tuesday in an action that has roiled Washington. Democrats have accused the Republican president of trying to foil the FBI’S probe into Moscow’s actions and many have called for a special prosecutor to look into the Russia matter.

“He’s a showboat. He’s a grandstander. The FBI has been in turmoil,” Trump told NBC News in his first interview since firing Comey. “I was going to fire Comey. My decision,” Trump said. “I was going to fire regardless of recommendation.”

Mccabe’s testimony contradicted Trump’s appraisal of turmoil at the FBI under Comey.

“I can tell you also that Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the FBI and still does to this day,” Mccabe testified. “I can tell you that I hold Director Comey in the absolute highest regard,” Mccabe added.

Republican leader Richard Burr asked Mccabe if he ever heard Comey tell Trump the President was not the subject of investigation. Mccabe sidestepped the question, saying he could not comment on an ongoing investigation.

In his letter firing Comey, Trump wrote, “While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau.”

“It is my opinion and belief that the FBI will continue to pursue this investigation vigorously and completely,” Mccabe said, adding that he saw no “crisis of confidence within the leadership of the FBI.”

US intelligence agencies concluded in a January report that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an effort to disrupt the election that included hacking into Democratic Party emails and leaking them, with the aim of helping Republican Trump.

Leaders of the US intel agencies,includingdirectorofnational Intelligence and CIA chief, testifying said they agreed with that finding. Moscow has denied any interference. REUTERS AMIDST A raging political storm over his abrupt dismissal, FBI chief James Comey Wednesday told his colleagues that the US President had the right to sack him for any reason “or for no reason at all” and that he had come to terms with it.

In a farewell letter to his colleagues at the FBI, Comey, 56, said he does not plan to dwell on the Trump’s decision to fire him or the “way it was executed.”

“It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply,” James Comey said a day after he was unceremoniously removed as America’s top sleuth. Comey was in the third year of his 10year term, when he was dismissed by Trump.

“He (Comey) wasn’t doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job,” Trump said on Wednesday. The White House said Comey had lost the confidence of Trump, who was looking to fire him from day one.

“I have long believed that a president can fire an FBI director for any reason, or for no reason at all,” Comey wrote.

“I’m not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won’t either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply,” Comey said in his letter on Wednesday.

Trump’s startling sacking of Comey triggered a political firestorm in Washington and plunged his 100-day-odd presidency into turmoil with strong opposition to his move by the Democrats.

Comey also said that: “In times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence.”

He said it is very hard to leave a group of people who are “committed only to doing the right thing”. PTI