Comey deems Republicans Russia probe a wreck

Washington April 30 (IANS) Former FBI Director James Comey has called the House Intelligence Committee Republicans year-long Russia probe "a wreck" that damaged relationships with the intelligence community and the federal court that grants warrants to surveil foreigners the media reported.

The committee released a redacted version of the report on the panel s Russia probe on April 27 which found no evidence of collusion between the President Donald Trump s campaign and Russia in its attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election reports CNN.

The report also disputed the intelligence community s assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to help elect Trump.

Asked whether the committee served "a good investigative purpose" Comey told NBC News on Sunday: "Not that I can see " adding that the probe became politicised "and it wrecked the committee and it damaged relationships with the FISA Court the intelligence communities. It s just a wreck".

Comey said the Republican report "strikes me as a political document".

Trump tweeted about the report saying it backed his claims that there is no truth to the allegations that his campaign colluded with Russia in Moscow s attempt to interfere in the election.

Comey disputed the President s assertions when asked during the NBC News interview whether they matched his views.

"That is not my understanding of what the facts were before I left the FBI and I think the most important piece of work is the one the special counsel s doing now " Comey said.

Comey who was fired by Trump last May is on a publicity tour to promote his newly published memoir "A Higher Loyalty: Truth Lies and Leadership" which paints a critical portrait of the President.

In the book Comey calles Trump "unethical" and "untethered to the truth" and compares his presidency to a "forest fire".

--IANS
ksk