"Admitted Leaker" Comey says Trump fired him to undermine FBI Russia investigation

[CNN, Communist News Network]

Former FBI director James Comey on Thursday accused President
Donald Trump on Thursday of firing him to try to undermine the
bureau's investigation into possible collusion between his 2016
presidential campaign team and Russia.

Trump dismissed Comey on May 9 and the administration gave
differing reasons for the action. Trump later contradicted his
own staff and acknowledged on May 11 that he fired Comey because
of the Russia probe.

Asked at a U.S. congressional hearing why he was fired, Comey
said he did not know for sure. But he added: "Again, I take the
president's words. I know I was fired because of something about
the way I was conducting the Russia investigation was in some
way putting pressure on him, in some way irritating him, and he
decided to fire me because of that."

Comey earlier told the Senate Intelligence Committee in the most
eagerly anticipated U.S. congressional hearing in years that he
believed Trump had directed him to drop an FBI probe into the
Republican president's former national security adviser as part
of the Russia investigation.

But Comey would not say whether he thought the president sought
to obstruct justice.

Comey said the administration had told lies and defamed him and
the FBI after the president dismissed him.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-idUSKBN18Z0HC