FBI head confirms Russia election probe, says Moscow backed TrumpWASHINGTON (Reuters) - FBI Director James Comey on Monday confirmed for the first time that the bureau is investigating possible ties between Republican Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia as Moscow sought to influence the 2016 U.S. election. Comey and Admiral Mike Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency, made clear that their investigation of Moscow and November’s U.S. elections could last for months. Appearing before a congressional panel, Comey also publicly challenged Trump’s claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his 2016 campaign headquarters in Manhattan’s Trump Tower. The two officials spent 5-1/2 hours before the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in testimony marked by starkly partisan divides between the panel’s majority Republicans and Democrats. Comey refused to back away from his claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not simply want Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to lose the election; he wanted Donald Trump to win. Trump created a controversy in early March when he tweeted without giving evidence that Obama had wiretapped his campaign while the businessman competed against Clinton. “With respect to the president’s tweets about alleged wiretapping directed at him by the prior administration, I have no information that supports those tweets,” Comey said. Leon Panetta, a former U.S. defense secretary and CIA director during the Obama administration, said in an interview that Trump should “acknowledge that he made a mistake, apologize to President Obama.” The committee is one of several in the U.S. Congress  investigating whether Russia tried to influence the election, mostly by hacking Democratic operatives’ emails and releasing embarrassing information. Russia denies the allegations.  Comey confirmed the FBI has been investigating since July possible Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including any cooperation between Trump’s campaign and Moscow. He said that while the Russian government wanted to hurt Clinton’s campaign and help Trump’s, intelligence agencies made no judgment on whether the efforts influenced the outcome. Comey gave no details of the classified investigation and said the fact that it exists does not mean charges would be filed. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia tried to help Trump by hacking leading Democrats. “I think that was a fairly easy judgment for the (intelligence) community,” he said. “Putin hated Secretary Clinton so much that the flip side of that coin was he had a clear preference for the person running against the person he hated so much.”         Asked about Comey, White House spokesman Sean Spicer read a series of quotes from officials - some from the Obama administration - who have said they have seen no signs of collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia. In a tweet before the hearing, Trump wrote: “The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a      terrible campaign.” Spicer said he was unaware of any White House official being under investigation by the FBI. Trump has frequently urged better relations with Russia, which has been at odds with the United States over Ukraine and the Syrian civil war.  Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, detailed activities by Trump associates with ties to Russia, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn, who was forced out as Trump’s national security adviser after talking to the Russian ambassador and then misrepresenting the conversation to Vice President Mike Pence.  “Is it possible that all of these events and reports are completely unrelated and nothing more than an entirely unhappy coincidence? Yes, it is possible,” Schiff said. “But it is also possible, maybe more than possible, that they are not coincidental, not disconnected and not unrelated.” Trump’s March 4 tweet about wiretapping pulled attention away from the claims of Russian election interference. He issued his tweet two days after Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who met with Russia’s U.S. ambassador at least twice last year, said he would recuse himself from any investigation of the matter. The White House has contended in recent days that Trump’s claim of wiretapping referred to general surveillance of the campaign. The White House has not provided evidence of surveillance of any kind. “Let me be clear: We know there was not a physical wiretap on Trump Tower. However, it’s still possible that other surveillance activities were used against President Trump and his associates,” said Representative Devin Nunes, the committee’s Republican chairman. Last week, Trump’s spokesman cited a media report that British intelligence was behind the surveillance, prompting ridicule in London. Rogers said the allegation had strained relations with London. “I think it clearly frustrates a key ally of ours,” Rogers said. Comey warned that Russia would attempt to influence the next U.S. presidential election in 2020 and perhaps congressional elections next year.  “They’ll be back in 2020. They may be back in 2018. And one of the lessons they may draw from this is that they were successful because they introduced chaos and division and discord and sowed doubt about the nature of this amazing country of ours and our democratic process,” he said. Clinton’s fellow Democrats feel Comey played an inappropriate role in the 2016 presidential contest by issuing a statement shortly before Election Day reviving an investigation of Clinton’s use of a private email server. Then, just two days before the election, Comey announced the FBI was sticking by a decision made months earlier that no criminal charges were warranted.   politicsNews
fbi head confirms russia election probe says moscow backed trumpwashington reuters fbi director james come monday confirmed first time bureau investigating possible ties republican donald trump presidential campaign russia moscow sought influence election come admiral mike rogers director national security agency made clear investigation moscow november elections could last months appearing congressional panel come also publicly challenged trump claim former president barack obama wiretapped campaign headquarters manhattan trump tower the two officials spent hours house representatives intelligence committee testimony marked sharply partisan divides panel majority republicans democrats come refused back away claim russian president vladimir putin simply want democratic presidential candidate hillary clinton lose election wanted donald trump win trump created controversy early march tweeted without giving evidence obama wiretapped campaign businessman competed clinton with respect president tweets alleged wiretapping directed prior administration i information supports tweets come said leon palette former defense secretary cia director obama administration said interview trump acknowledge made mistake apologize president the committee one several congress investigating whether russia tried influence election mostly hacking democratic operatives emails releasing embarrassing information russia denies allegations come confirmed fbi investigating since july possible russian efforts interfere election including cooperation trump campaign moscow he said russian government wanted hurt clinton campaign help trump intelligence agencies made judgment whether efforts influenced outcome come gave details classified investigation said fact exists mean charges would filed intelligence agencies concluded russia tried help trump hacking leading democrats i think fairly easy judgment intelligence community said putin hated secretary clinton much flip side coin clear preference person running person hated asked come white house spokesman sean spider read series quotes officials obama administration said seen signs collusion trump campaign russia in tweet hearing trump wrote the democrats made pushed russian story excuse running terrible spider said unaware white house official investigation fbi trump frequently urged better relations russia odds united states ukraine syrian civil war representative adam chief top democrat intelligence committee detailed activities trump associates ties russia including former campaign manager paul manafort michael flynn forced trump national security adviser talking russian ambassador misrepresenting conversation vice president mike pence is possible events reports completely unrelated nothing entirely unhappy coincidence yes possible chief said but also possible maybe possible coincidental disconnected trump march tweet wiretapping pulled attention away claims russian election interference he issued tweet two days attorney general jeff sessions met russia ambassador least twice last year said would recuse investigation matter the white house contended recent days trump claim wiretapping referred general surveillance campaign the white house provided evidence surveillance kind let clear we know physical wiretap trump tower however still possible surveillance activities used president trump associates said representative devil tunes committee republican chairman last week trump spokesman cited media report british intelligence behind surveillance prompting ridicule london rogers said allegation strained relations london i think clearly frustrated key ally rogers said come warned russia would attempt influence next presidential election perhaps congressional elections next year they back they may back and one lessons may draw successful introduced chaos division discord showed doubt nature amazing country democratic process said clinton fellow democrats feel come played inappropriate role presidential contest issuing statement shortly election day reviving investigation clinton use private email server then two days election come announced fbi sticking decision made months earlier criminal charges warranted 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: FBI head confirms Russia election probe, says Moscow backed TrumpWASHINGTON (Reuters) - FBI Director James Comey on Monday confirmed for the first time that the bureau is investigating possible ties between Republican Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia as Moscow sought to influence the 2016 U.S. election. Comey and Admiral Mike Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency, made clear that their investigation of Moscow and November’s U.S. elections could last for months. Appearing before a congressional panel, Comey also publicly challenged Trump’s claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his 2016 campaign headquarters in Manhattan’s Trump Tower. The two officials spent 5-1/2 hours before the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in testimony marked by starkly partisan divides between the panel’s majority Republicans and Democrats. Comey refused to back away from his claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not simply want Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to lose the election; he wanted Donald Trump to win. Trump created a controversy in early March when he tweeted without giving evidence that Obama had wiretapped his campaign while the businessman competed against Clinton. “With respect to the president’s tweets about alleged wiretapping directed at him by the prior administration, I have no information that supports those tweets,” Comey said. Leon Panetta, a former U.S. defense secretary and CIA director during the Obama administration, said in an interview that Trump should “acknowledge that he made a mistake, apologize to President Obama.” The committee is one of several in the U.S. Congress  investigating whether Russia tried to influence the election, mostly by hacking Democratic operatives’ emails and releasing embarrassing information. Russia denies the allegations.  Comey confirmed the FBI has been investigating since July possible Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including any cooperation between Trump’s campaign and Moscow. He said that while the Russian government wanted to hurt Clinton’s campaign and help Trump’s, intelligence agencies made no judgment on whether the efforts influenced the outcome. Comey gave no details of the classified investigation and said the fact that it exists does not mean charges would be filed. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia tried to help Trump by hacking leading Democrats. “I think that was a fairly easy judgment for the (intelligence) community,” he said. “Putin hated Secretary Clinton so much that the flip side of that coin was he had a clear preference for the person running against the person he hated so much.”         Asked about Comey, White House spokesman Sean Spicer read a series of quotes from officials - some from the Obama administration - who have said they have seen no signs of collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia. In a tweet before the hearing, Trump wrote: “The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a      terrible campaign.” Spicer said he was unaware of any White House official being under investigation by the FBI. Trump has frequently urged better relations with Russia, which has been at odds with the United States over Ukraine and the Syrian civil war.  Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, detailed activities by Trump associates with ties to Russia, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn, who was forced out as Trump’s national security adviser after talking to the Russian ambassador and then misrepresenting the conversation to Vice President Mike Pence.  “Is it possible that all of these events and reports are completely unrelated and nothing more than an entirely unhappy coincidence? Yes, it is possible,” Schiff said. “But it is also possible, maybe more than possible, that they are not coincidental, not disconnected and not unrelated.” Trump’s March 4 tweet about wiretapping pulled attention away from the claims of Russian election interference. He issued his tweet two days after Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who met with Russia’s U.S. ambassador at least twice last year, said he would recuse himself from any investigation of the matter. The White House has contended in recent days that Trump’s claim of wiretapping referred to general surveillance of the campaign. The White House has not provided evidence of surveillance of any kind. “Let me be clear: We know there was not a physical wiretap on Trump Tower. However, it’s still possible that other surveillance activities were used against President Trump and his associates,” said Representative Devin Nunes, the committee’s Republican chairman. Last week, Trump’s spokesman cited a media report that British intelligence was behind the surveillance, prompting ridicule in London. Rogers said the allegation had strained relations with London. “I think it clearly frustrates a key ally of ours,” Rogers said. Comey warned that Russia would attempt to influence the next U.S. presidential election in 2020 and perhaps congressional elections next year.  “They’ll be back in 2020. They may be back in 2018. And one of the lessons they may draw from this is that they were successful because they introduced chaos and division and discord and sowed doubt about the nature of this amazing country of ours and our democratic process,” he said. Clinton’s fellow Democrats feel Comey played an inappropriate role in the 2016 presidential contest by issuing a statement shortly before Election Day reviving an investigation of Clinton’s use of a private email server. Then, just two days before the election, Comey announced the FBI was sticking by a decision made months earlier that no criminal charges were warranted.   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: fbi head confirms russia election probe says moscow backed trumpwashington reuters fbi director james come monday confirmed first time bureau investigating possible ties republican donald trump presidential campaign russia moscow sought influence election come admiral mike rogers director national security agency made clear investigation moscow november elections could last months appearing congressional panel come also publicly challenged trump claim former president barack obama wiretapped campaign headquarters manhattan trump tower the two officials spent hours house representatives intelligence committee testimony marked sharply partisan divides panel majority republicans democrats come refused back away claim russian president vladimir putin simply want democratic presidential candidate hillary clinton lose election wanted donald trump win trump created controversy early march tweeted without giving evidence obama wiretapped campaign businessman competed clinton with respect president tweets alleged wiretapping directed prior administration i information supports tweets come said leon palette former defense secretary cia director obama administration said interview trump acknowledge made mistake apologize president the committee one several congress investigating whether russia tried influence election mostly hacking democratic operatives emails releasing embarrassing information russia denies allegations come confirmed fbi investigating since july possible russian efforts interfere election including cooperation trump campaign moscow he said russian government wanted hurt clinton campaign help trump intelligence agencies made judgment whether efforts influenced outcome come gave details classified investigation said fact exists mean charges would filed intelligence agencies concluded russia tried help trump hacking leading democrats i think fairly easy judgment intelligence community said putin hated secretary clinton much flip side coin clear preference person running person hated asked come white house spokesman sean spider read series quotes officials obama administration said seen signs collusion trump campaign russia in tweet hearing trump wrote the democrats made pushed russian story excuse running terrible spider said unaware white house official investigation fbi trump frequently urged better relations russia odds united states ukraine syrian civil war representative adam chief top democrat intelligence committee detailed activities trump associates ties russia including former campaign manager paul manafort michael flynn forced trump national security adviser talking russian ambassador misrepresenting conversation vice president mike pence is possible events reports completely unrelated nothing entirely unhappy coincidence yes possible chief said but also possible maybe possible coincidental disconnected trump march tweet wiretapping pulled attention away claims russian election interference he issued tweet two days attorney general jeff sessions met russia ambassador least twice last year said would recuse investigation matter the white house contended recent days trump claim wiretapping referred general surveillance campaign the white house provided evidence surveillance kind let clear we know physical wiretap trump tower however still possible surveillance activities used president trump associates said representative devil tunes committee republican chairman last week trump spokesman cited media report british intelligence behind surveillance prompting ridicule london rogers said allegation strained relations london i think clearly frustrated key ally rogers said come warned russia would attempt influence next presidential election perhaps congressional elections next year they back they may back and one lessons may draw successful introduced chaos division discord showed doubt nature amazing country democratic process said clinton fellow democrats feel come played inappropriate role presidential contest issuing statement shortly election day reviving investigation clinton use private email server then two days election come announced fbi sticking decision made months earlier criminal charges warranted politicsnews