Comey account could fuel obstruction accusations against Trump: legal expertsNEW YORK (Reuters) - Former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony that U.S. President Donald Trump expected loyalty and hoped Comey would drop an investigation of a former top aide could bolster obstruction of justice allegations against Trump, several legal experts said.  Such allegations might be used as the basis for impeachment proceedings, some of the analysts said. Any such step would face a steep hurdle, however, as it would require approval by the U.S. House of Representatives, which is controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans. According to written testimony posted on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s website on Wednesday, Comey said Trump told him during a one-on-one Feb. 14 conversation that former national security adviser Michael Flynn was a “good guy” and hoped that Comey could see his “way clear” to letting go a probe into ties between Flynn and Russia. Trump had fired Flynn the previous day in a controversy over contacts between the retired general and the Russian ambassador to the United States.  Comey’s account, released ahead of his appearance before the committee on Thursday, could show that Trump intended to impede the Flynn investigation, said Michael Gerhardt, a professor of constitutional law at the University of North Carolina School of Law.  “The express discussion of loyalty is disconcerting,” and could heighten speculation that the “president was trying to exert some pressure or at least exert some influence over the Russia investigation,” Gerhardt said. Comey, who was fired by Trump on May 9, was leading an FBI investigation of Flynn as it looks into allegations of links between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Moscow and Trump have both denied any collusion. Trump’s lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, did not immediately respond to a Reuters query about whether Comey’s testimony would support an obstruction case. But he said in a statement that Trump felt “vindicated” by Comey’s confirmation he was not under investigation in any Russia probe.     To build a criminal obstruction of justice case, federal law requires prosecutors to show that a person acted with “corrupt” intent. It does not matter whether the person succeeds in impeding an investigation.  While a sitting president is unlikely to face criminal prosecution, obstruction of justice could form the basis for impeachment.  Bruce Green, a professor at Fordham University School of Law, said it would be difficult to show Trump intended to impede the Flynn investigation. He said Trump could say he was merely vouching for Flynn’s character and voicing concerns about how the probe was interfering with his ability to function as president. Alan Dershowitz, a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School and well-known defense lawyer, added that Trump’s comments to Comey were “ambiguous statements” and “not even close to obstruction of justice.”  Other legal experts said, however, that details surrounding the Feb. 14 conversation could indicate that Trump intended to interfere with the Flynn probe.   According to Comey, Trump told his close advisers, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Jared Kushner, to leave the room so he could speak to Comey privately. “Asking others to leave the room could suggest the president was aware that there was something wrong with what he was doing,” said Andrew Wright, a professor of constitutional law at Savannah Law School. Wright said there were other damaging details in Comey’s testimony, including that Comey did not document his conversations with former President Barack Obama but “felt compelled” to do so after his first conversation with Trump. Comey’s testimony does “maximum damage” to Trump, Wright said. Gerhardt agreed the testimony was a blow to Trump, saying: “Some people who weren’t concerned before should be concerned now.”  politicsNews
come account could fuel obstruction accusations trump legal expertsnew york reuters former fbi director james come testimony president donald trump expected loyalty hoped come would drop investigation former top aide could bolster obstruction justice allegations trump several legal experts said such allegations might used basis impeachment proceedings analysts said any step would face steep hurdle however would require approval house representatives controlled trump fellow republicans according written testimony posted senate intelligence committee website wednesday come said trump told conversation former national security adviser michael flynn good guy hoped come could see way clear letting go probe ties flynn russia trump fired flynn previous day controversy contacts retired general russian ambassador united states come account released ahead appearance committee thursday could show trump intended impede flynn investigation said michael gerard professor constitutional law university north carolina school law the express discussion loyalty disconcerting could height speculation president trying exert pressure least exert influence russia investigation gerard said come fired trump may leading fbi investigation flynn looks allegations links russia trump presidential campaign moscow trump denied collusion trump lawyer marc kasowitz immediately respond reuters query whether come testimony would support obstruction case but said statement trump felt vindicated come confirmation investigation russia probe to build criminal obstruction justice case federal law requires prosecutors show person acted corrupt intent it matter whether person succeeds impending investigation while sitting president unlikely face criminal prosecution obstruction justice could form basis impeachment bruce green professor fordham university school law said would difficult show trump intended impede flynn investigation he said trump could say merely touching flynn character voicing concerns probe interfering ability function president alan dershowitz professor emeritus harvard law school defense lawyer added trump comments come ambiguous statements even close obstruction other legal experts said however details surrounding conversation could indicate trump intended interfere flynn probe according come trump told close advisers including attorney general jeff sessions jared pusher leave room could speak come privately asking others leave room could suggest president aware something wrong said andrew wright professor constitutional law savannah law school wright said damaging details come testimony including come document conversations former president barack obama felt compelled first conversation trump come testimony maximum damage trump wright said gerard agreed testimony blow trump saying some people concerned concerned 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: Comey account could fuel obstruction accusations against Trump: legal expertsNEW YORK (Reuters) - Former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony that U.S. President Donald Trump expected loyalty and hoped Comey would drop an investigation of a former top aide could bolster obstruction of justice allegations against Trump, several legal experts said.  Such allegations might be used as the basis for impeachment proceedings, some of the analysts said. Any such step would face a steep hurdle, however, as it would require approval by the U.S. House of Representatives, which is controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans. According to written testimony posted on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s website on Wednesday, Comey said Trump told him during a one-on-one Feb. 14 conversation that former national security adviser Michael Flynn was a “good guy” and hoped that Comey could see his “way clear” to letting go a probe into ties between Flynn and Russia. Trump had fired Flynn the previous day in a controversy over contacts between the retired general and the Russian ambassador to the United States.  Comey’s account, released ahead of his appearance before the committee on Thursday, could show that Trump intended to impede the Flynn investigation, said Michael Gerhardt, a professor of constitutional law at the University of North Carolina School of Law.  “The express discussion of loyalty is disconcerting,” and could heighten speculation that the “president was trying to exert some pressure or at least exert some influence over the Russia investigation,” Gerhardt said. Comey, who was fired by Trump on May 9, was leading an FBI investigation of Flynn as it looks into allegations of links between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Moscow and Trump have both denied any collusion. Trump’s lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, did not immediately respond to a Reuters query about whether Comey’s testimony would support an obstruction case. But he said in a statement that Trump felt “vindicated” by Comey’s confirmation he was not under investigation in any Russia probe.     To build a criminal obstruction of justice case, federal law requires prosecutors to show that a person acted with “corrupt” intent. It does not matter whether the person succeeds in impeding an investigation.  While a sitting president is unlikely to face criminal prosecution, obstruction of justice could form the basis for impeachment.  Bruce Green, a professor at Fordham University School of Law, said it would be difficult to show Trump intended to impede the Flynn investigation. He said Trump could say he was merely vouching for Flynn’s character and voicing concerns about how the probe was interfering with his ability to function as president. Alan Dershowitz, a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School and well-known defense lawyer, added that Trump’s comments to Comey were “ambiguous statements” and “not even close to obstruction of justice.”  Other legal experts said, however, that details surrounding the Feb. 14 conversation could indicate that Trump intended to interfere with the Flynn probe.   According to Comey, Trump told his close advisers, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Jared Kushner, to leave the room so he could speak to Comey privately. “Asking others to leave the room could suggest the president was aware that there was something wrong with what he was doing,” said Andrew Wright, a professor of constitutional law at Savannah Law School. Wright said there were other damaging details in Comey’s testimony, including that Comey did not document his conversations with former President Barack Obama but “felt compelled” to do so after his first conversation with Trump. Comey’s testimony does “maximum damage” to Trump, Wright said. Gerhardt agreed the testimony was a blow to Trump, saying: “Some people who weren’t concerned before should be concerned now.”  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: come account could fuel obstruction accusations trump legal expertsnew york reuters former fbi director james come testimony president donald trump expected loyalty hoped come would drop investigation former top aide could bolster obstruction justice allegations trump several legal experts said such allegations might used basis impeachment proceedings analysts said any step would face steep hurdle however would require approval house representatives controlled trump fellow republicans according written testimony posted senate intelligence committee website wednesday come said trump told conversation former national security adviser michael flynn good guy hoped come could see way clear letting go probe ties flynn russia trump fired flynn previous day controversy contacts retired general russian ambassador united states come account released ahead appearance committee thursday could show trump intended impede flynn investigation said michael gerard professor constitutional law university north carolina school law the express discussion loyalty disconcerting could height speculation president trying exert pressure least exert influence russia investigation gerard said come fired trump may leading fbi investigation flynn looks allegations links russia trump presidential campaign moscow trump denied collusion trump lawyer marc kasowitz immediately respond reuters query whether come testimony would support obstruction case but said statement trump felt vindicated come confirmation investigation russia probe to build criminal obstruction justice case federal law requires prosecutors show person acted corrupt intent it matter whether person succeeds impending investigation while sitting president unlikely face criminal prosecution obstruction justice could form basis impeachment bruce green professor fordham university school law said would difficult show trump intended impede flynn investigation he said trump could say merely touching flynn character voicing concerns probe interfering ability function president alan dershowitz professor emeritus harvard law school defense lawyer added trump comments come ambiguous statements even close obstruction other legal experts said however details surrounding conversation could indicate trump intended interfere flynn probe according come trump told close advisers including attorney general jeff sessions jared pusher leave room could speak come privately asking others leave room could suggest president aware something wrong said andrew wright professor constitutional law savannah law school wright said damaging details come testimony including come document conversations former president barack obama felt compelled first conversation trump come testimony maximum damage trump wright said gerard agreed testimony blow trump saying some people concerned concerned politicsnews