What we know about U.S. probes of Russian meddling in 2016 election(Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey on May 9 renewed attention to allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election campaign to benefit Trump. The following describes what is publicly known and not known about U.S. investigations into meddling and possible collusion between Russia and members of the Trump campaign: How did the investigations begin? Former President Barack Obama ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to assess whether Russia tried to intervene in the  election after a cyber attack on the Democratic National Committee in July 2016 and the publication of thousands of hacked personal emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager in the month before the Nov. 8 election. Obama told intelligence officials to deliver a report on possible foreign interference before he left the White House in January 2017. What did the intelligence agencies find?  The Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Security Agency concluded in a report declassified in January that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign not just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system but to affect the outcome. The agencies said Putin and the Russian government had a “clear preference” for Trump to win the White House. Putin’s  associates hacked information, paid social media “trolls” and backed efforts by Russian government agencies and state-funded media to sway public opinion, the agencies said.  The report stopped short of assessing whether Russia succeeded in swaying the election result. Putin and other Russian officials have repeatedly denied interfering in the U.S. election. What has Trump said about Russia’s role in the election? Trump has not taken a clear public position.  “I will tell you this, Russia: if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” Trump said at a July 2016 news conference, in reference to an FBI probe into Clinton’s use of a private email system when she was secretary of state and emails that had possibly been deleted. Trump subsequently dismissed reports, including from U.S. intelligence officials, that Russia had attempted to intervene in the election on his behalf.    The first time Trump said he accepted the findings of the intelligence agencies was at a Jan. 11 news conference ahead of his inauguration. “As far as hacking, I think it was Russia,” Trump said, although he added: “It could have been others also.” Earlier this month, Trump said China may have hacked the emails of Democratic officials to meddle with the election, offering no evidence and countering the view of intelligence officials. How many U.S. probes are there into Russia’s election meddling?  The Justice Department announced on May 17 that it has appointed Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, as special counsel to lead an independent Russia probe. Mueller would, if the evidence merits, work in tandem with the FBI, which is investigating, to handle any related criminal prosecutions.   Committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate are also investigating and those probes will continue. Comey has been invited to testify about the agency’s Russia investigation and his dismissal.  Has there been any fallout for Trump associates over contacts  with Russia before, during or after the election campaign? Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security adviser, was fired  in February. The White House said he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the contacts he had with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Sergei Kislyak, before Trump took office. On May 9, federal prosecutors issued grand jury subpoenas seeking business records from people who worked with Flynn when he was a private citizen. On May 10, the Senate Intelligence Committee issued the  first subpoena in its Russia investigation, demanding documents from Flynn after he declined to voluntarily comply with an earlier request. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had to recuse himself from involvement in Russia-related probes at the Justice Department because he had not told Congress of his own contacts with Kislyak in 2016. Rod Rosenstein, the deputy U.S. attorney general, is handling matters related to Russia; he appointed Mueller as special counsel. Will the FBI probe continue after Comey’s dismissal? Comey told the House Intelligence Committee on March 20 that the FBI was investigating Moscow’s role in the election, including possible collusion with Trump’s campaign. It was the first time he publicly acknowledged the agency was investigating the matter. Comey’s departure does not necessarily mean the FBI’s Russia investigation will be disrupted or ended as the career FBI officials Comey put in charge of it will likely continue working on the matter even as the search for a new director begins. FBI acting Director Andrew McCabe, who will lead the agency until a new director is named, promised the Senate Intelligence Committee that Comey’s firing will not affect the investigation and that he will notify the committee of any attempt to delay or derail it. Why was Comey fired? Attorney General Sessions sent Trump a May 9 letter attaching a memo from Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, on “Restoring Confidence in the FBI” that recommended Comey’s dismissal. Rosenstein’s memo said Comey erred in July 2016 by announcing the FBI had been examining Clinton’s use of a private email server and that the case should be closed without prosecution. Rosenstein’s view was that Comey’s decision to make a public statement on the matter broke with longstanding FBI precedent and should have been handled by the then-U.S. attorney general, Loretta Lynch. Trump called Comey a “showboat” and “grandstander” in an interview with NBC News on May 11, saying that he would have fired Comey regardless of Rosenstein’s recommendation.  Did Comey’s firing have anything to do with the Russia probe? The White House says Comey was dismissed because of his handling of the Clinton email investigation.  The New York Times was the first to report, on May 16, that a memo Comey wrote after a February meeting with Trump stated that the president had asked him to end the FBI’s investigation of Flynn. Trump aides have told Reuters that top Justice Department officials wanted a heads-up from Comey about what he would say during a May 3 congressional hearing about the FBI’s investigation of Clinton’s private email system.  The hearing was just days after Clinton said at a New York event that announcements by Comey in the week before the November election that he had re-opened, and then re-closed, the email probe had swung the election for Trump. Comey told the congressional panel the idea that he may have affected the election result made him “mildly nauseous.” Is Trump being investigated by the FBI?  In the short letter Trump sent to Comey dismissing him from the FBI, he thanked Comey for informing him on three separate occasions that he was not under investigation. Comey has never stated publicly whether or not the FBI was investigating Trump and it would be unorthodox for him to say such a thing to the president. The White House has offered no proof to back Trump’s claim. News of Comey’s memo, along with a Washington Post report on May 15 that Trump had revealed classified info during a May 10 meeting at the White House with Russian officials, intensified calls from Democrats and some Republicans for an independent probe of Trump’s ties to Russia. Trump has made clear on multiple occasions he believes the Russia investigations have run their course and should be closed. “The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?” he wrote on Twitter on May 8. politicsNews
what know probes russian meddling election reuters president donald trump firing fbi director james come may renewed attention allegations intelligence agencies russia interfered election campaign benefit trump the following describes publicly known known investigations meddling possible collusion russia members trump campaign how investigations begin former president barack obama ordered intelligence agencies assess whether russia tried intervene election cyber attack democratic national committee july publication thousands hacked personal emails hillary clinton campaign manager month election obama told intelligence officials deliver report possible foreign interference left white house january what intelligence agencies find the central intelligence agency federal bureau investigation national security agency concluded report declassified january russian president vladimir putin ordered campaign undermine confidence electoral system affect outcome the agencies said putin russian government clear preference trump win white house putin associates hacked information paid social media trolls backed efforts russian government agencies media sway public opinion agencies said the report stopped short assessing whether russia succeeded saying election result putin russian officials repeatedly denied interfering election what trump said russia role election trump taken clear public position i tell russia listening i hope able find emails missing trump said july news conference reference fbi probe clinton use private email system secretary state emails possibly deleted trump subsequently dismissed reports including intelligence officials russia attempted intervene election behalf the first time trump said accepted findings intelligence agencies news conference ahead inauguration as far hacking i think russia trump said although added it could others earlier month trump said china may hacked emails democratic officials middle election offering evidence countering view intelligence officials how many probes russia election meddling the justice department announced may appointed robert mueller former fbi director special counsel lead independent russia probe mueller would evidence merits work tandem fbi investigating handle related criminal prosecutions committees house representatives senate also investigating probes continue come invited testify agency russia investigation dismissal has fallout trump associates contacts russia election campaign michael flynn trump national security adviser fired february the white house said misled vice president mike pence contacts russia ambassador united states series kislyak trump took office on may federal prosecutors issued grand jury subpoena seeking business records people worked flynn private citizen on may senate intelligence committee issued first subpoena russia investigation demanding documents flynn declined voluntarily comply earlier request attorney general jeff sessions recuse involvement probes justice department told congress contacts kislyak rod rosenstein deputy attorney general handling matters related russia appointed mueller special counsel will fbi probe continue come dismissal come told house intelligence committee march fbi investigating moscow role election including possible collusion trump campaign it first time publicly acknowledged agency investigating matter come departure necessarily mean fbi russia investigation disrupted ended career fbi officials come put charge likely continue working matter even search new director begins fbi acting director andrew mccain lead agency new director named promised senate intelligence committee come firing affect investigation notify committee attempt delay derail why come fired attorney general sessions sent trump may letter attaching memo rosenstein deputy attorney general restoring confidence fbi recommended come dismissal rosenstein memo said come erred july announcing fbi examining clinton use private email server case closed without prosecution rosenstein view come decision make public statement matter broke longstanding fbi precedent handled attorney general rosetta lynch trump called come showpost grandstand interview nbc news may saying would fired come regardless rosenstein recommendation did come firing anything russia probe the white house says come dismissed handling clinton email investigation the new york times first report may memo come wrote february meeting trump stated president asked end fbi investigation flynn trump aides told reuters top justice department officials wanted come would say may congressional hearing fbi investigation clinton private email system the hearing days clinton said new york event announcements come week november election email probe swung election trump come told congressional panel idea may affected election result made mildly is trump investigated fbi in short letter trump sent come dismissing fbi thanked come informing three separate occasions investigation come never stated publicly whether fbi investigating trump would unorthodox say thing president the white house offered proof back trump claim news come memo along washington post report may trump revealed classified info may meeting white house russian officials intensified calls democrats republicans independent probe trump ties russia trump made clear multiple occasions believes russia investigations run course closed the collusion story total hoax taxpayer funded charge end wrote twitter may politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: What we know about U.S. probes of Russian meddling in 2016 election(Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey on May 9 renewed attention to allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election campaign to benefit Trump. The following describes what is publicly known and not known about U.S. investigations into meddling and possible collusion between Russia and members of the Trump campaign: How did the investigations begin? Former President Barack Obama ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to assess whether Russia tried to intervene in the  election after a cyber attack on the Democratic National Committee in July 2016 and the publication of thousands of hacked personal emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager in the month before the Nov. 8 election. Obama told intelligence officials to deliver a report on possible foreign interference before he left the White House in January 2017. What did the intelligence agencies find?  The Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Security Agency concluded in a report declassified in January that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign not just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system but to affect the outcome. The agencies said Putin and the Russian government had a “clear preference” for Trump to win the White House. Putin’s  associates hacked information, paid social media “trolls” and backed efforts by Russian government agencies and state-funded media to sway public opinion, the agencies said.  The report stopped short of assessing whether Russia succeeded in swaying the election result. Putin and other Russian officials have repeatedly denied interfering in the U.S. election. What has Trump said about Russia’s role in the election? Trump has not taken a clear public position.  “I will tell you this, Russia: if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” Trump said at a July 2016 news conference, in reference to an FBI probe into Clinton’s use of a private email system when she was secretary of state and emails that had possibly been deleted. Trump subsequently dismissed reports, including from U.S. intelligence officials, that Russia had attempted to intervene in the election on his behalf.    The first time Trump said he accepted the findings of the intelligence agencies was at a Jan. 11 news conference ahead of his inauguration. “As far as hacking, I think it was Russia,” Trump said, although he added: “It could have been others also.” Earlier this month, Trump said China may have hacked the emails of Democratic officials to meddle with the election, offering no evidence and countering the view of intelligence officials. How many U.S. probes are there into Russia’s election meddling?  The Justice Department announced on May 17 that it has appointed Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, as special counsel to lead an independent Russia probe. Mueller would, if the evidence merits, work in tandem with the FBI, which is investigating, to handle any related criminal prosecutions.   Committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate are also investigating and those probes will continue. Comey has been invited to testify about the agency’s Russia investigation and his dismissal.  Has there been any fallout for Trump associates over contacts  with Russia before, during or after the election campaign? Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security adviser, was fired  in February. The White House said he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the contacts he had with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Sergei Kislyak, before Trump took office. On May 9, federal prosecutors issued grand jury subpoenas seeking business records from people who worked with Flynn when he was a private citizen. On May 10, the Senate Intelligence Committee issued the  first subpoena in its Russia investigation, demanding documents from Flynn after he declined to voluntarily comply with an earlier request. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had to recuse himself from involvement in Russia-related probes at the Justice Department because he had not told Congress of his own contacts with Kislyak in 2016. Rod Rosenstein, the deputy U.S. attorney general, is handling matters related to Russia; he appointed Mueller as special counsel. Will the FBI probe continue after Comey’s dismissal? Comey told the House Intelligence Committee on March 20 that the FBI was investigating Moscow’s role in the election, including possible collusion with Trump’s campaign. It was the first time he publicly acknowledged the agency was investigating the matter. Comey’s departure does not necessarily mean the FBI’s Russia investigation will be disrupted or ended as the career FBI officials Comey put in charge of it will likely continue working on the matter even as the search for a new director begins. FBI acting Director Andrew McCabe, who will lead the agency until a new director is named, promised the Senate Intelligence Committee that Comey’s firing will not affect the investigation and that he will notify the committee of any attempt to delay or derail it. Why was Comey fired? Attorney General Sessions sent Trump a May 9 letter attaching a memo from Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, on “Restoring Confidence in the FBI” that recommended Comey’s dismissal. Rosenstein’s memo said Comey erred in July 2016 by announcing the FBI had been examining Clinton’s use of a private email server and that the case should be closed without prosecution. Rosenstein’s view was that Comey’s decision to make a public statement on the matter broke with longstanding FBI precedent and should have been handled by the then-U.S. attorney general, Loretta Lynch. Trump called Comey a “showboat” and “grandstander” in an interview with NBC News on May 11, saying that he would have fired Comey regardless of Rosenstein’s recommendation.  Did Comey’s firing have anything to do with the Russia probe? The White House says Comey was dismissed because of his handling of the Clinton email investigation.  The New York Times was the first to report, on May 16, that a memo Comey wrote after a February meeting with Trump stated that the president had asked him to end the FBI’s investigation of Flynn. Trump aides have told Reuters that top Justice Department officials wanted a heads-up from Comey about what he would say during a May 3 congressional hearing about the FBI’s investigation of Clinton’s private email system.  The hearing was just days after Clinton said at a New York event that announcements by Comey in the week before the November election that he had re-opened, and then re-closed, the email probe had swung the election for Trump. Comey told the congressional panel the idea that he may have affected the election result made him “mildly nauseous.” Is Trump being investigated by the FBI?  In the short letter Trump sent to Comey dismissing him from the FBI, he thanked Comey for informing him on three separate occasions that he was not under investigation. Comey has never stated publicly whether or not the FBI was investigating Trump and it would be unorthodox for him to say such a thing to the president. The White House has offered no proof to back Trump’s claim. News of Comey’s memo, along with a Washington Post report on May 15 that Trump had revealed classified info during a May 10 meeting at the White House with Russian officials, intensified calls from Democrats and some Republicans for an independent probe of Trump’s ties to Russia. Trump has made clear on multiple occasions he believes the Russia investigations have run their course and should be closed. “The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?” he wrote on Twitter on May 8. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: what know probes russian meddling election reuters president donald trump firing fbi director james come may renewed attention allegations intelligence agencies russia interfered election campaign benefit trump the following describes publicly known known investigations meddling possible collusion russia members trump campaign how investigations begin former president barack obama ordered intelligence agencies assess whether russia tried intervene election cyber attack democratic national committee july publication thousands hacked personal emails hillary clinton campaign manager month election obama told intelligence officials deliver report possible foreign interference left white house january what intelligence agencies find the central intelligence agency federal bureau investigation national security agency concluded report declassified january russian president vladimir putin ordered campaign undermine confidence electoral system affect outcome the agencies said putin russian government clear preference trump win white house putin associates hacked information paid social media trolls backed efforts russian government agencies media sway public opinion agencies said the report stopped short assessing whether russia succeeded saying election result putin russian officials repeatedly denied interfering election what trump said russia role election trump taken clear public position i tell russia listening i hope able find emails missing trump said july news conference reference fbi probe clinton use private email system secretary state emails possibly deleted trump subsequently dismissed reports including intelligence officials russia attempted intervene election behalf the first time trump said accepted findings intelligence agencies news conference ahead inauguration as far hacking i think russia trump said although added it could others earlier month trump said china may hacked emails democratic officials middle election offering evidence countering view intelligence officials how many probes russia election meddling the justice department announced may appointed robert mueller former fbi director special counsel lead independent russia probe mueller would evidence merits work tandem fbi investigating handle related criminal prosecutions committees house representatives senate also investigating probes continue come invited testify agency russia investigation dismissal has fallout trump associates contacts russia election campaign michael flynn trump national security adviser fired february the white house said misled vice president mike pence contacts russia ambassador united states series kislyak trump took office on may federal prosecutors issued grand jury subpoena seeking business records people worked flynn private citizen on may senate intelligence committee issued first subpoena russia investigation demanding documents flynn declined voluntarily comply earlier request attorney general jeff sessions recuse involvement probes justice department told congress contacts kislyak rod rosenstein deputy attorney general handling matters related russia appointed mueller special counsel will fbi probe continue come dismissal come told house intelligence committee march fbi investigating moscow role election including possible collusion trump campaign it first time publicly acknowledged agency investigating matter come departure necessarily mean fbi russia investigation disrupted ended career fbi officials come put charge likely continue working matter even search new director begins fbi acting director andrew mccain lead agency new director named promised senate intelligence committee come firing affect investigation notify committee attempt delay derail why come fired attorney general sessions sent trump may letter attaching memo rosenstein deputy attorney general restoring confidence fbi recommended come dismissal rosenstein memo said come erred july announcing fbi examining clinton use private email server case closed without prosecution rosenstein view come decision make public statement matter broke longstanding fbi precedent handled attorney general rosetta lynch trump called come showpost grandstand interview nbc news may saying would fired come regardless rosenstein recommendation did come firing anything russia probe the white house says come dismissed handling clinton email investigation the new york times first report may memo come wrote february meeting trump stated president asked end fbi investigation flynn trump aides told reuters top justice department officials wanted come would say may congressional hearing fbi investigation clinton private email system the hearing days clinton said new york event announcements come week november election email probe swung election trump come told congressional panel idea may affected election result made mildly is trump investigated fbi in short letter trump sent come dismissing fbi thanked come informing three separate occasions investigation come never stated publicly whether fbi investigating trump would unorthodox say thing president the white house offered proof back trump claim news come memo along washington post report may trump revealed classified info may meeting white house russian officials intensified calls democrats republicans independent probe trump ties russia trump made clear multiple occasions believes russia investigations run course closed the collusion story total hoax taxpayer funded charge end wrote twitter may politicsnews