A ‘how to can Comey’ letter

WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team of investigators is in possession of a letter drafted by President Trump and an aide — but never sent — that lays out a rationale for firing FBI Director James Comey, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

The letter was written in the days before the May 9 firing of Comey, but was held after objections from the White House Counsel and others, according to two other people familiar with the process.

On that day, the White House released a different letter announcing Comey’s firing, one signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that cited the handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation as a basis for Comey’s dismissal.

The earlier letter could serve as key evidence to Mueller’s team, which is now investigating whether Trump fired Comey to impede the FBI investigation into his campaign associates’ ties to Russia.

The White House has said Trump was acting on the Justice Department’s recommendation when he fired Mueller, though the President said in a television interview days later that he was thinking of “the Russia thing” when he made the move.

The new letter, which was first reported by The New York Times, could provide additional context on Trump’s thinking and motive as he prepared to oust Comey.