WASHINGTON — (CNN) FBI Chief James Comey said publicly for the first time Monday that his agency is investigating alleged links between Russia and the Trump campaign and whether any crimes may have been committed during last year’s election campaign.
“That includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts,” Comey said in his opening statement to a dramatic hearing before the House Intelligence Committee.
But Comey said that while an investigation was going on he would be unable to give few details about its progress or whether anyone in particular was being targeted.
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Comey was asked to explain the conclusions of the unclassified report released by the US intelligence community in January that found that Russia had attempted to stir mistrust in US democracy, and had developed a preference for Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton owing to her stance on Moscow while secretary of state.
“I don’t know for sure, but I think that was a fairly easy judgment for the community,” Comey said. “He — 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.”
Comey also said he had no information to support claims by President Donald Trump that he was wiretapped by his predecessor Barack Obama.
“I have no information that supports those tweets,” Comey told the House Intelligence Committee, adding that the Justice Department, along with the FBI, had no information to support the allegations.
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Comey also said that no president could order a wiretapping operation against anyone.
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