"Contrary to numerous false press accounts leading up to today's hearing, Comey has now finally confirmed publicly what he repeatedly told President Trump privately," Mac Kasowitz, personal attorney of Trump told reporters at a news conference after the conclusion of Comey's testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
"That is that the president was not under investigation as part of any probe into Russian interference," Kasowitz said.
"In fact, according to Comey, the president told Comey, quote, "It would be good to find out", closed quote, in that investigation if there was, quote, "some satellite associates of his who did something wrong", closed quote. He President Trump, did not exclude anyone from that statement," the attorney said.
"Consistent with that statement the President never in form or substance directed or suggested that Mr Comey stop investigating anyone, including the president never suggested that Mr Comey, quote, "Let Flynn go", close quote. As the president publicly stated the next day, he did say to Mr. Comey, quote, "General Flynn is a good guy, he has been through a lot", close quote. And also , quote, "asked how General Flynn is doing", closed quote," he said.
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"The President also never told Comey, quote, "I need loyalty, I expect loyalty", closed quote. He never said it in for and he never said it in substance," he said.
"Of course, the Office of the President is entitled to expect loyalty from those who are serving the administration and from before this president - and from before this president took office to this day, it is overwhelmingly clear that there have been and continue to be those in government who are actively attempting to undermine this administration with selective and illegal leaks of classified information and privileged communications," he added.
The attorney said the leaks of this privileged information began no later than March 2017 when friends of Comey have stated that he disclosed to them the conversations that he had with the president during their January 27th, 2017 dinner and February 14th, 2017 White House meeting.
"Today, Comey admitted that he leaked to friends of his purported memos of those privileged communications. One of which, he testified, was classified," he said.
"Although Comey testified that he only leaked the memos in response to a tweet, the public record reveals that "The New York Times" was quoting from those memos the day before the referenced tweet, which belies Comey's excuse for this unauthorized disclosure of privileged information and appears to be entirely retaliatory," he said.
"We will leave it to the appropriate authorities to determine whether these leaks should be investigated along with all the others that are being investigated. In sum, it is now established that the president was not being investigated for colluding with or attempting to obstruct any investigation," Kasowitz said.
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