BBC: Conversations between the former FBI director and Trump, published

Ioana Erdei 20/04/2018 | 10:43

Detailed notes by former FBI director James Comey documenting his conversations with US President Donald Trump have been published, according to BBC.

The memos cover Mr Trump’s concerns about a lurid intelligence dossier and also go into the president’s relationship with the then National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn.

Mr Trump said the published memos cleared him of wrongdoing.

The partially redacted notes were handed to Congress on Thursday.

They were requested by three Republican committee chairmen – Devin Nunes, Robert Goodlatte and Trey Gowdy – last week in the belief that their contents would prove allegations that Mr Trump had sought to obstruct justice were wrong.

The allegations relate to comments made by Mr Comey in testimony to Congress that the president had asked him to “let go” of an investigation into Mr Flynn.

In response, however, Mr Trump tweeted on Thursday that in his view, Mr Comey’s notes clearly show that there was no obstruction.

Details from the memo

Details published in Mr Comey’s notes are consistent with allegations in his new book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership.

In his memos, Mr Comey writes that he was asked by Mr Trump to drop an inquiry into links between Mr Flynn and Russia.

“I hope you can let this go,” Mr Trump is reported to have said after a White House meeting.

The memo was written immediately afterwards. Mr Trump is also disclosed to have told Mr Comey that he had reservations about Mr Flynn: “The guy has serious judgment issues.”

Mr Flynn was forced to resign over charges that he had lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russia.

Other conversations documented in the memos include Mr Trump’s concerns over salacious allegations in an intelligence dossier.

At a meeting in Trump Tower in New York just days before Mr Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, Mr Comey spoke alone with the then president-elect about details of an alleged 2013 encounter involving prostitutes in Moscow.

Mr Comey writes that he is taking the allegations seriously, adding that “portions of the material were corroborated by other intelligence”.

 Trump’s reaction

The president and Mr Comey have been feuding for weeks.

Mr Trump has referred to Mr Comey as “slippery” and a “slimeball” and the “worst FBI director in history”.

He continues to attack him over his “many lies” – Mr Trump has even suggested he be jailed over his testimony to Congress.

“Why did he lie to Congress (jail),” Mr Trump tweeted earlier this month, adding: “How come he gave up classified information (jail).”

He has also criticised Mr Comey’s new memoir, saying the “badly reviewed book” raises “big questions”.

Mr Trump sacked Mr Comey last year while he was leading an FBI investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

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