Trump fires FBI Director Comey, setting off U.S. political storm WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump ignited a political firestorm on Tuesday by firing FBI Director James Comey, who had been leading an investigation into the Trump 2016 presidential campaign’s possible collusion with Russia to influence the election outcome.  READ THE LATEST ON THE COMEY FIRINGDefending firing of FBI director, Trump derides Democratic criticsSenate Republican leader opposed new Russia investigationThe Republican president said he fired Comey, the top U.S. law enforcement official, over his handling of an election-year email scandal involving then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.  The move stunned Washington and raised suspicions among Democrats and others that the White House was trying to blunt the FBI probe involving Russia.  Some Democrats compared Trump’s move to the “Saturday Night Massacre” of 1973, in which President Richard Nixon fired an independent special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal.  White House officials denied allegations that there was any political motive in the move by Trump, who took office on Jan. 20.  Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he spoke to Trump and told him he was “making a very big mistake” in firing Comey, adding the president did not “really answer” in response.  An independent investigation into Moscow’s role in the election “is now the only way to go to restore the American people’s faith,” Schumer said.  Though many Democrats have criticized Comey’s handling of the Clinton email probe, they said they were troubled by the timing of Trump’s firing of him.  Senator Richard Burr, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is overseeing its own investigation into Russian interference during the election, said in a statement he was also troubled by the timing of Comey’s termination.  “His dismissal, I believe, is a loss for the Bureau and the nation,” Burr said.  U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in a January report that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered an effort to disrupt the 2016 election, with the aim of helping Trump.  CNN reported on Tuesday night that federal prosecutors had issued grand jury subpoenas to former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, seeking business records, as part of the probe into Russian interference in the election.  Trump’s firing of Comey came a day after former acting Attorney General Sally Yates told a Senate panel that she had informed the White House on Jan. 26 that Flynn was at risk of blackmail by Moscow because he had been untruthful about his discussions with the Russian ambassador, Sergei Kislyak. Trump fired Flynn 18 days later.  Russia has repeatedly denied any meddling in the election and the Trump administration denies allegations of collusion with Russia.  Trump, in a letter to Comey released by the White House, said: “It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission.”  The president told Comey in the letter that he accepted the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he could no longer provide effective leadership. Comey’s term was to run through September 2023. He was appointed director by Democratic President Barack Obama in 2013.  Sessions advised Trump’s campaign before being picked by the president to lead the Justice Department. Sessions had recused himself from involvement in the Russia investigation, after he misstated his own 2016 contacts with Russia’s ambassador to Washington.  Comey’s deputy, Andrew McCabe, became acting FBI director. The White House said the search for a new permanent director would begin immediately.  Pushing back against critics of the move, White House officials said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a career prosecutor who took office on April 25, assessed the situation at the FBI and concluded that Comey had lost his confidence.  Rosenstein sent his recommendation to Sessions, who concurred and they forwarded their recommendation to Trump, who accepted it on Tuesday, they said.  The White House released a memo in which Rosenstein wrote: “I cannot defend the Director’s handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton’s emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken.”  Rosenstein cited several former Justice Department officials’ comments criticizing Comey’s handling of the Clinton email investigation, including his public statements.  But one of those he cited, Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general under President H.W. Bush, questioned the purported reasons for the firing. Reached by Reuters, Ayer said in an email that the administration’s explanation was “a sham.”  Comey was traveling in Los Angeles when the news broke that he had been fired.  In an odd twist, a White House official said the letter firing him was delivered to the FBI by Keith Schiller, Trump’s longtime armed personal bodyguard who is now director of Oval Office Operations at the White House.  Trump, in the letter, said: “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.”  Comey, 56, had been the target of criticism from many quarters for his handling of a probe involving Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was U.S. secretary of state under Obama. As recently as Tuesday, the FBI clarified remarks that Comey made on the matter last week.  Trump had originally criticized the FBI director for not pursuing criminal charges against Clinton last July, but later lavished praise on him.  Comey had said in July the Clinton email case should be closed without prosecution, but then declared - 11 days before the Nov. 8 election - that he had reopened the investigation because of a discovery of a new trove of Clinton-related emails.  Clinton and other Democrats say they believe Comey’s decision help cost her the election.  The firing came as a shock to FBI staff, nearly all of whom had confidence in Comey despite the controversy surrounding his handling of the Clinton email situation, according to an FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity.  The official said there was concern among agents that the firing was a political act related to the Russian investigation.  Other current and former U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials questioned the White House explanation for Comey’s firing.  “Trump praised him for the work on the email investigation, so that’s not it,” said Austin Berglas, a former FBI supervisory agent on hacking cases. “I think he realized the extent of the Russia investigation under way and moved him out. To me, that’s the only logical explanation right now.”  Trump’s dismissal of Comey does not mean the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the U.S. presidential election will be disrupted or end - career FBI staffers can continue the probe even as the search for a new FBI director begins, legal experts said.  Republican Representative Justin Amash wrote on Twitter that he and his staff were reviewing the possibility of drafting legislation to create an independent commission to look into the Russian campaign meddling.  Legislation related to the appointment of a special prosecutor or independent counsel has lapsed. But Justice Department regulations provide for the appointment of a special counsel, which is selected by the attorney general, or acting attorney general in the case of recusal, the experts said.  politicsNews
trump fires fbi director come setting political storm washington reuters president donald trump ignited political firestorm tuesday firing fbi director james come leading investigation trump presidential campaign possible collusion russia influence election outcome read the latest on the come firingdefending firing fbi director trump decides democratic criticssenate republican leader opposed new russia investigationthe republican president said fired come top law enforcement official handling email scandal involving presidential nominee hillary clinton the move stunned washington raised suspicions among democrats others white house trying blunt fbi probe involving russia some democrats compared trump move saturday night massacre president richard nixon fired independent special prosecutor investigating watergate scandal white house officials denied allegations political motive move trump took office senate democratic leader chuck scheme said spoke trump told making big mistake firing come adding president really answer response an independent investigation moscow role election way go restore american people faith scheme said though many democrats criticized come handling clinton email probe said troubled timing trump firing senator richard burn republican chairman senate intelligence committee overseeing investigation russian interference election said statement also troubled timing come termination his dismissal i believe loss bureau nation burn said intelligence agencies concluded january report russian president vladimir putin ordered effort disrupt election aim helping trump cnn reported tuesday night federal prosecutors issued grand jury subpoena former trump national security adviser michael flynn seeking business records part probe russian interference election trump firing come came day former acting attorney general sally dates told senate panel informed white house flynn risk blackmail moscow truthful discussions russian ambassador series kislyak trump fired flynn days later russia repeatedly denied meddling election trump administration denies allegations collusion russia trump letter come released white house said it essential find new leadership fbi restores public trust confidence vital law enforcement the president told come letter accepted recommendation attorney general jeff sessions could longer provide effective leadership come term run september he appointed director democratic president barack obama sessions advised trump campaign picked president lead justice department sessions recused involvement russia investigation instated contacts russia ambassador washington come deputy andrew mccain became acting fbi director the white house said search new permanent director would begin immediately pushing back critics move white house officials said deputy attorney general rod rosenstein career prosecutor took office april assessed situation fbi concluded come lost confidence rosenstein sent recommendation sessions concurred forwarded recommendation trump accepted tuesday said the white house released memo rosenstein wrote i defend director handling conclusion investigation secretary clinton emails i understand refusal accept nearly universal judgment rosenstein cited several former justice department officials comments criticizing come handling clinton email investigation including public statements but one cited donald layer former deputy attorney general president bush questioned purported reasons firing reached reuters layer said email administration explanation come traveling los angeles news broke fired in odd twist white house official said letter firing delivered fbi keith chiller trump longtime armed personal bodyguard director oval office operations white house trump letter said while i greatly appreciate informing three separate occasions i investigation i nevertheless concur judgment department justice able effectively lead come target criticism many quarters handling probe involving clinton use private email server secretary state obama as recently tuesday fbi clarified remarks come made matter last week trump originally criticized fbi director pursuing criminal charges clinton last july later vanished praise come said july clinton email case closed without prosecution declared days election reopened investigation discovery new trove emails clinton democrats say believe come decision help cost election the firing came shock fbi staff nearly confidence come despite controversy surrounding handling clinton email situation according fbi official spoke condition anonymity the official said concern among agents firing political act related russian investigation other current former intelligence law enforcement officials questioned white house explanation come firing trump praised work email investigation said austin bergs former fbi supervisory agent hacking cases i think realized extent russia investigation way moved to logical explanation right trump dismissal come mean fbi investigation russia interference presidential election disrupted end career fbi staffers continue probe even search new fbi director begins legal experts said republican representative justin smash wrote twitter staff reviewing possibility drafting legislation create independent commission look russian campaign meddling legislation related appointment special prosecutor independent counsel lapsed but justice department regulations provide appointment special counsel selected attorney general acting attorney general case refusal experts said 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: Trump fires FBI Director Comey, setting off U.S. political storm WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump ignited a political firestorm on Tuesday by firing FBI Director James Comey, who had been leading an investigation into the Trump 2016 presidential campaign’s possible collusion with Russia to influence the election outcome.  READ THE LATEST ON THE COMEY FIRINGDefending firing of FBI director, Trump derides Democratic criticsSenate Republican leader opposed new Russia investigationThe Republican president said he fired Comey, the top U.S. law enforcement official, over his handling of an election-year email scandal involving then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.  The move stunned Washington and raised suspicions among Democrats and others that the White House was trying to blunt the FBI probe involving Russia.  Some Democrats compared Trump’s move to the “Saturday Night Massacre” of 1973, in which President Richard Nixon fired an independent special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal.  White House officials denied allegations that there was any political motive in the move by Trump, who took office on Jan. 20.  Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he spoke to Trump and told him he was “making a very big mistake” in firing Comey, adding the president did not “really answer” in response.  An independent investigation into Moscow’s role in the election “is now the only way to go to restore the American people’s faith,” Schumer said.  Though many Democrats have criticized Comey’s handling of the Clinton email probe, they said they were troubled by the timing of Trump’s firing of him.  Senator Richard Burr, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is overseeing its own investigation into Russian interference during the election, said in a statement he was also troubled by the timing of Comey’s termination.  “His dismissal, I believe, is a loss for the Bureau and the nation,” Burr said.  U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in a January report that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered an effort to disrupt the 2016 election, with the aim of helping Trump.  CNN reported on Tuesday night that federal prosecutors had issued grand jury subpoenas to former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, seeking business records, as part of the probe into Russian interference in the election.  Trump’s firing of Comey came a day after former acting Attorney General Sally Yates told a Senate panel that she had informed the White House on Jan. 26 that Flynn was at risk of blackmail by Moscow because he had been untruthful about his discussions with the Russian ambassador, Sergei Kislyak. Trump fired Flynn 18 days later.  Russia has repeatedly denied any meddling in the election and the Trump administration denies allegations of collusion with Russia.  Trump, in a letter to Comey released by the White House, said: “It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission.”  The president told Comey in the letter that he accepted the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he could no longer provide effective leadership. Comey’s term was to run through September 2023. He was appointed director by Democratic President Barack Obama in 2013.  Sessions advised Trump’s campaign before being picked by the president to lead the Justice Department. Sessions had recused himself from involvement in the Russia investigation, after he misstated his own 2016 contacts with Russia’s ambassador to Washington.  Comey’s deputy, Andrew McCabe, became acting FBI director. The White House said the search for a new permanent director would begin immediately.  Pushing back against critics of the move, White House officials said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a career prosecutor who took office on April 25, assessed the situation at the FBI and concluded that Comey had lost his confidence.  Rosenstein sent his recommendation to Sessions, who concurred and they forwarded their recommendation to Trump, who accepted it on Tuesday, they said.  The White House released a memo in which Rosenstein wrote: “I cannot defend the Director’s handling of the conclusion of the investigation of Secretary Clinton’s emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly universal judgment that he was mistaken.”  Rosenstein cited several former Justice Department officials’ comments criticizing Comey’s handling of the Clinton email investigation, including his public statements.  But one of those he cited, Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general under President H.W. Bush, questioned the purported reasons for the firing. Reached by Reuters, Ayer said in an email that the administration’s explanation was “a sham.”  Comey was traveling in Los Angeles when the news broke that he had been fired.  In an odd twist, a White House official said the letter firing him was delivered to the FBI by Keith Schiller, Trump’s longtime armed personal bodyguard who is now director of Oval Office Operations at the White House.  Trump, in the letter, said: “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.”  Comey, 56, had been the target of criticism from many quarters for his handling of a probe involving Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was U.S. secretary of state under Obama. As recently as Tuesday, the FBI clarified remarks that Comey made on the matter last week.  Trump had originally criticized the FBI director for not pursuing criminal charges against Clinton last July, but later lavished praise on him.  Comey had said in July the Clinton email case should be closed without prosecution, but then declared - 11 days before the Nov. 8 election - that he had reopened the investigation because of a discovery of a new trove of Clinton-related emails.  Clinton and other Democrats say they believe Comey’s decision help cost her the election.  The firing came as a shock to FBI staff, nearly all of whom had confidence in Comey despite the controversy surrounding his handling of the Clinton email situation, according to an FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity.  The official said there was concern among agents that the firing was a political act related to the Russian investigation.  Other current and former U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials questioned the White House explanation for Comey’s firing.  “Trump praised him for the work on the email investigation, so that’s not it,” said Austin Berglas, a former FBI supervisory agent on hacking cases. “I think he realized the extent of the Russia investigation under way and moved him out. To me, that’s the only logical explanation right now.”  Trump’s dismissal of Comey does not mean the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the U.S. presidential election will be disrupted or end - career FBI staffers can continue the probe even as the search for a new FBI director begins, legal experts said.  Republican Representative Justin Amash wrote on Twitter that he and his staff were reviewing the possibility of drafting legislation to create an independent commission to look into the Russian campaign meddling.  Legislation related to the appointment of a special prosecutor or independent counsel has lapsed. But Justice Department regulations provide for the appointment of a special counsel, which is selected by the attorney general, or acting attorney general in the case of recusal, the experts said.  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: trump fires fbi director come setting political storm washington reuters president donald trump ignited political firestorm tuesday firing fbi director james come leading investigation trump presidential campaign possible collusion russia influence election outcome read the latest on the come firingdefending firing fbi director trump decides democratic criticssenate republican leader opposed new russia investigationthe republican president said fired come top law enforcement official handling email scandal involving presidential nominee hillary clinton the move stunned washington raised suspicions among democrats others white house trying blunt fbi probe involving russia some democrats compared trump move saturday night massacre president richard nixon fired independent special prosecutor investigating watergate scandal white house officials denied allegations political motive move trump took office senate democratic leader chuck scheme said spoke trump told making big mistake firing come adding president really answer response an independent investigation moscow role election way go restore american people faith scheme said though many democrats criticized come handling clinton email probe said troubled timing trump firing senator richard burn republican chairman senate intelligence committee overseeing investigation russian interference election said statement also troubled timing come termination his dismissal i believe loss bureau nation burn said intelligence agencies concluded january report russian president vladimir putin ordered effort disrupt election aim helping trump cnn reported tuesday night federal prosecutors issued grand jury subpoena former trump national security adviser michael flynn seeking business records part probe russian interference election trump firing come came day former acting attorney general sally dates told senate panel informed white house flynn risk blackmail moscow truthful discussions russian ambassador series kislyak trump fired flynn days later russia repeatedly denied meddling election trump administration denies allegations collusion russia trump letter come released white house said it essential find new leadership fbi restores public trust confidence vital law enforcement the president told come letter accepted recommendation attorney general jeff sessions could longer provide effective leadership come term run september he appointed director democratic president barack obama sessions advised trump campaign picked president lead justice department sessions recused involvement russia investigation instated contacts russia ambassador washington come deputy andrew mccain became acting fbi director the white house said search new permanent director would begin immediately pushing back critics move white house officials said deputy attorney general rod rosenstein career prosecutor took office april assessed situation fbi concluded come lost confidence rosenstein sent recommendation sessions concurred forwarded recommendation trump accepted tuesday said the white house released memo rosenstein wrote i defend director handling conclusion investigation secretary clinton emails i understand refusal accept nearly universal judgment rosenstein cited several former justice department officials comments criticizing come handling clinton email investigation including public statements but one cited donald layer former deputy attorney general president bush questioned purported reasons firing reached reuters layer said email administration explanation come traveling los angeles news broke fired in odd twist white house official said letter firing delivered fbi keith chiller trump longtime armed personal bodyguard director oval office operations white house trump letter said while i greatly appreciate informing three separate occasions i investigation i nevertheless concur judgment department justice able effectively lead come target criticism many quarters handling probe involving clinton use private email server secretary state obama as recently tuesday fbi clarified remarks come made matter last week trump originally criticized fbi director pursuing criminal charges clinton last july later vanished praise come said july clinton email case closed without prosecution declared days election reopened investigation discovery new trove emails clinton democrats say believe come decision help cost election the firing came shock fbi staff nearly confidence come despite controversy surrounding handling clinton email situation according fbi official spoke condition anonymity the official said concern among agents firing political act related russian investigation other current former intelligence law enforcement officials questioned white house explanation come firing trump praised work email investigation said austin bergs former fbi supervisory agent hacking cases i think realized extent russia investigation way moved to logical explanation right trump dismissal come mean fbi investigation russia interference presidential election disrupted end career fbi staffers continue probe even search new fbi director begins legal experts said republican representative justin smash wrote twitter staff reviewing possibility drafting legislation create independent commission look russian campaign meddling legislation related appointment special prosecutor independent counsel lapsed but justice department regulations provide appointment special counsel selected attorney general acting attorney general case refusal experts said politicsnews