Washington, May 17 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly asked former FBI Director James Comey to end a probe into alleged ties between ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn and Russia.
The New York Times made the revelation on Tuesday, reporting that Trump had urged Comey in a memo to drop the investigation a day after Flynn was forced out of the White House in mid-February over concerns about his contacts with Russian officials.
The paper said Comey's memo was part of a paper trail that he kept to document pressure by Trump over the FBI's Russia investigation. "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go,” Trump told Comey, according to the memo. “He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
Denying the version of events in the memo, the White House said in a statement that, “While the president has repeatedly expressed his view that General Flynn is a decent man who served and protected our country, the president has never asked Mr. Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn.”
“The president has the utmost respect for our law enforcement agencies, and all investigations. This is not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey,” the statement added.
Trump dismissed Comey last week citing his handling of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while at the State Department.
The dismissal sent shockwaves through Washington, with critics accusing Trump of trying to thwart the FBI investigation into Russia's alleged interference in the U.S. presidential election and his possible collusion with the Kremlin.
U.S. President Asked Fired FBI Director to End Michael Flynn Investigation
Related Articles
Commentaries
MAKE A COMMENT
All fields requiredMore Views
- UN special rapporteur warns Israel's crimes in Gaza could keep International Court of Justice busy at The Hague for 50 years
- Arab countries at United Nations declare full support for new UN Security Council resolution that calls for permanent ceasefire in Gaza
- Israeli forces raped, tortured and executed Palestinian women at Al-Shifa Hospital
- International Labor Organization says profits from forced labor at nearly one-quarter of a trillion dollars
- Cuba condemns terrorist act in the Moscow region