NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Amy Jeffress, former counselor to the attorney general for national security and international matters, about Trump's claims he asked Comey if he was under investigation.
Trump says he was intent on firing the FBI director no matter what Justice Department officials recommended. Washington Post reporter Robert Costa talks about why these statements are contradictory.
The Justice Department says the attorney general's recommendation the FBI director be fired was based on ineffective leadership, not any investigation he was overseeing. But some Democrats say Jeff Sessions' role violates his pledge to stay out of any campaign-related investigations.
Census Bureau Director John Thompson resigned his position this week. The bureau is in the midst of ramping up its operation ahead of the 2020 Census. At the same time, Congress is pushing to keep a lid on costs.
James Comey was supposed to testify Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee about worldwide threats. Instead, Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe showed up. He insisted the agency's investigation of Russian malfeasance continues and is adequately resourced; he contradicted the White House in affirming Comey had wide and strong support at the FBI; and he said it was not usual to inform someone he's not being investigated.
U.S. reporters were shut out of Wednesday's meetings between President Trump, the secretary of state and the Russian foreign minster. They had to go to the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C., to learn what happened.
Prosecutors alleged the Florida Democrat and her chief of staff pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars they'd raised for scholarships — and jurors agreed, convicting her of conspiracy and fraud.
The president told NBC that he would have fired James Comey as FBI director, even if he hadn't gotten a recommendation and said he was told three times by Comey that he wasn't under FBI investigation.