Before being fired, Comey told Congress that Russian probe targets didn't include Trump
Circa ^ | May 11, 2017 | John Soloman
Posted on 5/11/2017, 3:17:22 PM
Congressional officials were told by FBI Director James Comey before he was fired that there are just a small number of Americans who are targets of the criminal or counterintelligence probes involving Russia and that none were President Trump or his top aides, Circa has confirmed.
Behind closed doors, Comey provided specific updates on about a half dozen or less targeted US citizens who were the focus of either counterintelligence probes or criminal investigations emanating from the Russia election scandal, sources familiar with the intelligence told Circa.
"President Trump is not a target, nor is any senior government official if Comey's account is correct."-Congressional Official
"President Trump is not a target nor is any senior government official if Comey's account is correct," one source said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because that person was not authorized to comment.
Related:Questions Russia probe needs to answer
While the counterintelligence probe is focused is on whether any American was compromised by Russian spies, knowingly or unwittingly, the criminal issues are mostly focused on possible crimes not directly related to the core question of collusions with Russia, such as tax, lobbying or money laundering laws, the sources said.
"As had been stated publicly many times the FBI made clear it does not yet have proof of any criminal collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia or any proof voting ballots were changed. These probes can go on for a long time and things can change, but right now that is what is the state (of things)," said a source.
The sources spoke as Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) took the extraordinary step of going to the Senate Judiciary open hearing Thursday to say that he had been provided no evidence to date in classified briefings that Trump was a target.
"Shortly after Director Comey briefed us, I tweeted that he should be transparent. I said he should tell the public what he told Senator Feinstein and me about whether the FBI is or is not investigating the President," said Grassley.
"On Tuesday, the President’s letter said that Director Comey told him he was not under investigation. Senator Feinstein and I heard nothing that contradicted the President’s statement."
His statement was backed up by his Democratic counterpart on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein (D- CA).