President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, saying he'd lost confidence in his ability to manage the bureau. This capped a difficult year for Comey, whose handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation drew scrutiny from both sides of the aisle. 
 
 Shortly after the news broke, CNN reported that it learned of federal subpoenas seeking business records related to Michael Flynn in the hours before Comey's firing, in an apparent expansion of the FBI's investigation into ties between Trump associates and Russia. 
 
 
 
 White House officials are denying that Comey's firing had anything to do with the probe — deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said it's time to move on from the Russia investigation entirely. Meanwhile, Trump has gone after Chuck Schumer. He will meet Wednesday in the Oval Office with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. 
 
 Full coverage: How the White House is spinning it, concerns in the Clinton camp, GOP senators raise questions, comparisons to Nixon, full reaction roundup, timeline of how we got here, the pattern of who Trump has fired, GOP congressman wants independent probe, the letters that got Comey fired, news orgs prepare for leaks 
 
 Key questions and answers on Comey's firing: 
 
 What happened? Trump informed Comey in a letter that he was terminated "effective immediately." CNN reports Trump's private security guard may have delivered the letter to the FBI, but Comey was in Los Angeles. Per NYT's Michael Schmidt, he was addressing FBI employees there when news of his firing flashed on T.V. screens in the background, and he originally thought it was a prank. What did Trump say? He appreciated Comey informing him "on three separate occasions that I am not under investigation" but "you are not able to effectively lead the bureau." Was it really so sudden? Per Schmidt, "WH and DOJ had been working on firing Comey since at least last week. Sessions had been working to come up with reasons." What happens next? Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe will serve as acting director until a permanent replacement is nominated. The position requires Senate confirmation. How are Democrats reacting? Many are drawing comparisons to Watergate, and Chuck Schumer is calling for an independent Russia probe How are Republicans reacting? Most are lining up behind Trump but Senate Intelligence chairman Richard Burr said he was "troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey's termination," and John McCain has renewed his call for an independent Russia investigation. What did Obama and Clinton say? "No comment," via their spokespeople. 
 
 Perspectives and analysis: 
 
 Peter Baker, NYT 
 
 "The appointment of a successor to Mr. Comey could touch off a furious fight since anyone he would choose would automatically come under suspicion. A confirmation fight could easily distract Mr. Trump's White House at a time when it wants the Senate to focus on passing legislation to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care law." 
 
 Evan Osnos, the New Yorker 
 
 "Serious question: Where are Comey's files right now? Who controls them? After Nixon fired special prosecutor, office was sealed. Important." 
 
 Benjamin Wittes and Susan Hennessey, Lawfare blog 
 
 "The FBI Director serves a ten-year term precisely in order to insulate against the whims of a President who does not like what—or whom—the FBI is investigating. While the President has legal authority to fire an FBI director, the fact that Trump has done so under circumstances of an active FBI investigation of the President's own campaign violates profoundly important norms of an independent, non-political FBI." 
 
 Amanda Carpenter, former GOP strategist 
 
 "If Trump thinks he had problems w/leaks before, just wait. He abruptly fired the leader to whom many FBI folks are loyal. Blowback is coming." 
 
 The full statement from the White House: 
 
 
 
 Today, President Donald J. Trump informed FBI Director James Comey that he has been terminated and removed from office. President Trump acted based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "The FBI is one of our Nation's most cherished and respected institutions and today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement," said President Trump. A search for a new permanent FBI Director will begin immediately. 
 
 From Trump's letter to Comey: 
 
 "... you are hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately. While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgement of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau." 
 
 From Sessions' recommendation: 
 
 "As Attorney General I am committed to a high level of discipline, integrity, and the rule of law to the department of justice- an institution that I deeply respect. Based on my evaluation, and for the reasons expressed by the deputy attorney general in the attached memorandum, I have concluded that a fresh start is needed at the leadership of the FBI." 
 
 From Rosenstein's recommendation: 
 
 "Over the past year, however, the FBI's reputation and credibility have suffered substantial damage, and it has affected the entire department of justice...."As you and I have discussed, however, I cannot defend the director's handling of the conclusion of the investigation of secretary Clinton's emails, and I do not understand his refusal to accept the nearly-universal judgement that he was mistaken. Almost everyone agrees that the Director made serious mistakes; it is one of the few issues that unites people of diverse perspective." ||||| FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2015 file photo, FBI Director James Comey prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump abruptly fired Comey May 9, 2017, dramatically ousting the nation's... (Associated Press) 
 
 WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and FBI Director James Comey's firing (all times local): 
 
 12:25 p.m. 
 
 Three U.S. officials say fired FBI Director James Comey told lawmakers that he asked the Justice Department for more money for the bureau's investigation into Russia's election meddling. 
 
 President Donald Trump fired Comey Tuesday. 
 
 The officials say Comey told lawmakers he had made the request to Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general. 
 
 The Justice Department is denying that Comey asked for more resources. 
 
 The White House has wielded a critical memo from Rosenstein to justify President Donald Trump's decision to fire Comey on Tuesday. Rosenstein's memo focused only on Comey's handling of last year's investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton's email practices. It does not mention the Russia investigation. 
 
 The officials were not authorized to disclose the meetings publicly and insisted on anonymity. 
 
 -By Julie Pace and Eileen Sullivan 
 
 __ 
 
 12:10 p.m. 
 
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR'-gay LAHV'-rahf) says it is "humiliating" for the American people to hear that Russia is controlling the political situation in the U.S. 
 
 Lavrov is speaking at the Russian Embassy in Washington after meetings with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He said Wednesday that politicians raising questions about Russian interference in the election are damaging the U.S. political system by suggesting that it is being controlled externally. 
 
 Lavrov is brushing off the questions as "noise" about Russians' contacts with people in Trump's campaign. He says through a translator that "there is not a single fact" or piece of compelling evidence proving Russia's intervention in the election. 
 
 Lavrov is pointing out that Trump dismisses the controversy as "false news." 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:45 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says ousted FBI Director James Comey "was not doing a good job." It was Trump's first public remarks about his firing Tuesday of the FBI chief. 
 
 Trump briefly spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday after a closed meeting with Russia's foreign minister. His remarks come as the White House is defending the decision to dismiss Comey. Administration officials have said the firing was not related to the investigation into possible contacts between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. 
 
 Trump was joined by Henry Kissinger, former secretary of state and national security adviser under President Richard Nixon. 
 
 __ 
 
 11:20 a.m. 
 
 The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says there's no need for a special prosecutor to investigate Russia's ties to the Trump campaign in the wake of the firing of the FBI director. 
 
 GOP Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina says his committee has the jurisdiction and responsibility to continue its Russia investigation and "we are going to do that." 
 
 However Burr reiterated questions about President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. "The timing of this and the reasoning for it doesn't make sense to me." 
 
 And, Burr said that the firing "made our task a little more difficult but it didn't make it impossible so we'll continue." 
 
 Burr said he spoke to Trump but wouldn't detail the exchange. He said they didn't discuss his committee's investigation 
 
 __ 
 
 11:12 a.m. 
 
 Vice President Mike Pence is defending the firing of FBI Director James Comey, saying the "president made the right decision at the right time." He said Comey's firing was not related to the investigation into possible contacts between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. 
 
 Pence says the administration is now looking forward to finding someone to lead the law enforcement agency. 
 
 President Donald Trump fired Comey on Tuesday. Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, criticized Comey's handling of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email practices. 
 
 Pence says Comey had lost the confidence of the American people. He says Trump took "strong and decisive leadership" to put the safety and security of the American people first. 
 
 __ 
 
 11:05 a.m. 
 
 The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee says President Donald Trump told her that he was firing FBI Director James Comey because "the department is a mess." 
 
 California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she was surprised and taken aback after Trump called her and other senators to deliver the news shortly before the White House announced Comey's dismissal Tuesday. 
 
 Feinstein says she questions the reasoning and timing behind Trump's decision and asked the GOP-led committee to bring in Justice Department officials to explain it. 
 
 She said what "sticks in her mind" is a classified briefing Comey delivered in March in which he laid out counterintelligence and criminal investigations the FBI is conducting into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. 
 
 She said it's clear "the FBI was taking its job seriously." 
 
 __ 
 
 10:45 a.m. 
 
 The Senate's Russia investigators are asking the Treasury Department's criminal investigation division for any information relevant to President Donald Trump, his top aides and campaign officials. 
 
 Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, told CNN that the request is part of the panel's effort to "follow the intel no matter where it leads." Warner's office confirmed the senator's comments. 
 
 The Senate intelligence committee is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible ties between Trump associates and the Russian government. 
 
 The House intelligence committee is conducting a parallel investigation. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:25 a.m. 
 
 Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Russia is not concerned about Comey's firing. 
 
 When asked how Comey's sacking could influence Russia-U.S. ties, Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday: "This is the U.S. president's sovereign decision which does not have anything to do with Russia and should not have anything to do with Russia." 
 
 Russian state television network Rossiya 24 referred to President Richard Nixon's firing of independent special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the Watergate scandal. It said that "the story with Comey is different." Comey, it said, "played a good cop and fell into a trap he had set for himself." 
 
 Senior Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov tweeted that Comey "kept an eye on the 'Russian threat' so hard that he did not notice the threat of his own sacking." 
 
 Another senior lawmaker, Konstantin Kosachev, rejected suggestions that Comey's sacking could have a Russian link. "The 'Russian trail' is hardly there and definitely could not have been the underlying cause for the firing of such a prominent player on the Washington scene," Kosachev told the Interfax news agency. "Because this trail is merely a tool in the domestic political game and Trump's stakes are more than just about the Russia issue." 
 
 __ 
 
 10:20 a.m. 
 
 A Justice Department official says Attorney General Jeff Sessions is interviewing candidates to serve as the interim replacement for fired FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 Comey's deputy, FBI veteran Andrew McCabe, has become acting director after Comey was fired by President Donald Trump. 
 
 But a Justice Department official says senior leaders are interviewing additional candidates who could do the job until a permanent replacement for Comey is named and confirmed by the Senate. 
 
 An announcement about Comey's interim successor could come as soon as Wednesday. 
 
 The official wasn't authorized to discuss the selection process by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10 a.m. 
 
 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is asking that Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy appear before the Senate to answer questions about the circumstances surrounding President Donald Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 The New York Democrat said Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should discuss why Sessions participated in the decision to fire Comey despite recusing himself and whether Rosenstein acted on his own when recommending Comey's dismissal or whether he was order to do so by the White House. 
 
 Schumer also repeated his call for a special counsel to investigate ties between Trump's campaign and the Russian government. 
 
 He also said the administration should answer why the president didn't wait until the Justice Department's inspector general issued a report on Comey's much-criticized actions regarding the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:50 a.m. 
 
 Amid Democratic calls for a special prosecutor, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says a new investigation of Russia meddling could only serve to impede the current probes underway. 
 
 McConnell spoke on the Senate floor as Democratic senators gathered to try to pressure the GOP over President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 McConnell didn't give his own view on Trump's decision to fire Comey. But he noted that Democrats had repeatedly criticized Comey in the past, and had called for his removal. 
 
 Following McConnell on the floor, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for a special prosecutor. 
 
 But McConnell said: "Today we'll no doubt hear calls for a new investigation which could only serve to impede the current work being done." 
 
 The Senate and House intelligence committees are investigating Russian meddling in the presidential election and Russian ties to the Trump campaign. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:40 a.m. 
 
 Sen. Lindsey Graham says he doesn't believe a special prosecutor should be considered unless the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's possible connections to Russia becomes a criminal matter. 
 
 It's now a counterintelligence investigation. 
 
 The South Carolina Republican says if it becomes "a criminal investigation where the Trump campaign may be exposed to criminal charges, then that's the time to have that conversation." 
 
 Graham says he's confident the FBI's investigation won't be hampered by President Donald Trump's firing of the bureau's director, James Comey. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:30 a.m. 
 
 Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman says Moscow isn't concerned about the firing of the FBI director. 
 
 Dmitry Peskov says Russia hopes that President Donald Trump's decision to fire the FBI's James Comey won't affect U.S.-Russia ties "in any way." 
 
 Peskov calls it "an entirely domestic matter" for the United States. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:10 a.m. 
 
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is reacting sarcastically to questions about President Donald Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 Lavrov and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were asked during a photo-op whether Comey's firing cast a shadow over the meeting between the two diplomats. 
 
 Lavrov said: "Was he fired? You're kidding. You're kidding." Then the Russian diplomat waved his hand dismissively and exited the room alongside Tillerson. 
 
 The meeting comes amid growing concerns about Trump's decision to fire the head of the law enforcement agency investigating Russian interference in the U.S. election and possible collusion by Trump's campaign. 
 
 Lavrov is scheduled to meet later Wednesday with Trump at the White House. 
 
 __ 
 
 8:50 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump is attacking Sen. Richard Blumenthal for criticizing his firing of FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 The Connecticut Democrat appeared on MSNBC and CNN Wednesday morning. On CNN, Blumenthal said that the firing had prompted a "looming constitutional crisis." 
 
 Trump tweeted Wednesday that he was watching Blumenthal speak, calling it a "joke." He criticized Blumenthal for past statements that he served in Vietnam, saying he "would talk of his great bravery and conquests in Vietnam - except he was never there." 
 
 Trump said that Blumenthal "cried like a baby" when caught and that he should be investigated. 
 
 Trump has previously attacked Blumenthal over statements that he served in Vietnam. Blumenthal was in the Marine Corps Reserves at the time but did not fight in Vietnam. 
 
 __ 
 
 7:40 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says that Republicans and Democrats will soon "be thanking me" for firing FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning that Comey had "lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike." He added: "when things calm down, they will be thanking me!" 
 
 Trump abruptly fired Comey Tuesday night. The surprise decision came amid the law enforcement agency's investigation into whether Trump's presidential campaign was connected to Russian meddling in the election. 
 
 __ 
 
 7:24 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says fired FBI Director James Comey "will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI." 
 
 In an early-morning tweet Wednesday, Trump attacked Democrats critical of his firing of Comey. 
 
 Trump said that Democrats "have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad!" 
 
 Trump abruptly fired Comey in the midst of the law enforcement agency's investigation into whether Trump's presidential campaign was connected to Russian meddling in the election. 
 
 ___ 
 
 4:40 a.m. 
 
 Amid the clamor surrounding the firing of FBI Director James Comey, President Donald Trump singled out one another Washington fixture for his scorn. 
 
 The president went to his Twitter account late Tuesday to chide Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, for comments the Democrat made about the stunning dismissal. 
 
 Trump had telephoned Schumer earlier to inform him of the decision. Schumer said he told Trump that "you are making a big mistake." Schumer also questioned why the firing occurred on Tuesday and wondered whether investigations into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia were "getting too close for the president." He said unless a special prosecutor is named, Americans could rightfully wonder whether the move was "part of a cover-up." 
 
 Trump fired back with a tweet exclaiming: "Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, 'I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.' Then acts so indignant." 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:35 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump's stunning firing of FBI Director James Comey throws into question the future of a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign's possible connections to Russia. It immediately raised suspicions of an underhanded effort to stymie a probe that has shadowed the administration from the outset. 
 
 Democrats likened the firing to President Richard Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre" and renewed calls for the appointment of a special prosecutor, and some Republicans also questioned the move. 
 
 In his letter to Comey, Trump said the firing was necessary to restore "public trust and confidence" in the FBI. The administration paired the letter with a scathing review by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein of how Comey handled the investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton's email practices, including his decision to hold a news conference announcing its findings and releasing "derogatory information" about Clinton. 
 
 __ 
 
 11:05 p.m. 
 
 FBI Director James Comey was speaking to agents at the FBI's field office in Los Angeles when the news of his firing broke. 
 
 That's according to a law enforcement official who was present at the time Tuesday. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to discuss the situation publicly. 
 
 The official says television screens in the field office began flashing the news, and Comey initially chuckled. But he continued to speak to the agents, finishing his speech before heading into an office. He did not reappear in the main room. 
 
 Comey later left Los Angeles on a plane to return to Washington. 
 
 —By Michael Balsamo in Los Angeles ||||| A draft termination letter could help reveal President Trump’s thinking before he fired then-FBI Director James B. Comey in May. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images) 
 
 On the day before President Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey, he summoned his vice president, chief of staff, top lawyer and other senior advisers to the Oval Office. 
 
 He was ready to get rid of Comey, Trump told them that Monday morning in May, and had prepared a termination letter that laid out in detail his many frustrations, which had boiled over the previous weekend at his private golf club in Bedminster, N.J. 
 
 The multi-page letter blasted Comey over his investigation of Trump's Democratic presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton. And, according to a person with direct knowledge of the contents of the letter, it conveyed Trump's displeasure that Comey would not say publicly what he had told the president three times privately: that the FBI's probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 election was not focused on him. 
 
 Trump ended up shelving that letter in favor of a far shorter one, but the draft has taken on new significance in the probe by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is examining it as he determines whether Trump's firing of Comey was part of an effort to obstruct justice, according to people with knowledge of the investigation. 
 
 The draft, which was first reported by the New York Times, establishes Trump's thinking prior to the firing and contradicts initial statements from White House officials about why he dismissed his FBI director. 
 
 In the termination letter Trump sent to Comey, the president described his decision as having been prompted by recommendations from Comey's supervisors — Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein — a rationale embraced at first in public statements by White House officials, including Vice President Pence. 
 
 But the draft letter, which was prepared with the help of senior policy adviser Stephen Miller and described by people familiar with it as a "rant," makes clear what the White House eventually acknowledged: that Trump had essentially decided to fire Comey before he solicited recommendations from Sessions and Rosenstein. 
 
 Though the letter is largely about other issues, it could shed light on Trump's state of mind regarding Comey at the time the FBI chief was leading the Russia inquiry that was emerging as a threat to Trump's presidency. 
 
 Furthermore, the Oval Office discussion suggests that Pence and other top aides who echoed the initial public explanation for Comey's ouster did not provide a full accounting of Trump's decision process. 
 
 Mueller is likely to look into whether Trump, in consulting the Justice Department's top two officials, was seeking a pretense to fire his FBI director or, as some White House advisers said Friday, whether he was simply persuaded to consider their opinions before acting. 
 
 This account of Comey's firing, including details about the letter, was provided by several people familiar with the events. 
 
 "I can't comment on anything the special counsel might be interested in," White House attorney Ty Cobb said. "But this White House is committed to being open and transparent with the special counsel's investigation." 
 
 A Mueller spokesman declined to comment. 
 
 At the Oval Office meeting on Monday, May 8, Trump described his draft termination letter to top aides who wandered in and out of the room, including then-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, White House Counsel Donald McGahn and senior adviser Hope Hicks. Pence arrived late, after the meeting had begun. They were also joined by Miller and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, both of whom had been with Trump over the weekend in Bedminster. Kushner supported the president's decision. 
 
 The letter had been drawn up by Miller, acting as a stenographer to capture Trump's thoughts, according to several people with knowledge of the process. While it did not dwell on Russia, the draft included language similar to what was included in the final version ultimately sent by Trump: "While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau." 
 
 After hearing about Trump's decision and the contents of the letter, some of the president's aides were shocked and chagrined. They urged caution. 
 
 At one point, Trump was warned that firing Comey would not end the Russia investigation but would instead probably extend it. He acknowledged the likelihood but said he believed firing Comey was the right move and wanted to push ahead. 
 
 McGahn raised another point: Sessions and Rosenstein were scheduled to visit the White House later the same day, and they had also been expressing displeasure with the FBI director. Shouldn't Trump consult the two Justice officials, who were Comey's supervisors, before moving forward? 
 
 Trump agreed, meeting with Sessions and Rosenstein later that day. The president gave them a copy of his draft letter to explain his thinking, according to people familiar with the discussions. 
 
 The next day, Sessions submitted to the White House a brief letter outlining his position: He wrote that he had concluded a "fresh start" was needed at the FBI. Rosenstein provided a longer memo, in which he outlined missteps he believed Comey had made in the course of the Clinton email probe, including criticizing Clinton's conduct publicly despite announcing that she would face no criminal charges. Rosenstein called Comey's derogatory comments a "textbook example of what federal prosecutors and agents are taught not to do." 
 
 Shortly afterward, Trump dispatched his longtime security chief, Keith Schiller, to the Justice Department to hand-deliver his letter formally firing the FBI chief. Attaching the letters from Sessions and Rosenstein, Trump wrote, "I have accepted their recommendation and you are hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately." 
 
 The newly described sequence of events could help the White House bolster its argument that Trump had soured on Comey and wanted him out — and that his decision was not intended to disrupt the Russia probe. 
 
 Mueller will weigh the narrative with other events that led up to Comey's firing, including Comey's account of Trump's efforts to intercede by requesting that the FBI director drop an investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. 
 
 But the incidents leading up to Comey's removal also raise questions about how the White House initially explained the firing to the public. 
 
 In a hastily called media availability on the night of the firing, then-press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that the Russia investigation had played no role in the dismissal, which he said had been led by the Department of Justice. "No one from the White House," Spicer said, when asked who drove the decision. "That was a DOJ decision." 
 
 Spicer had not been at the Oval Office meeting where Trump's draft letter was discussed and the communications team had been told of the firing — along with the purported justification for it — only moments before it became public. Spicer declined to comment for this report. 
 
 Pence, who had been in the Oval Office for part of the meeting, told reporters during a visit to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, May 10, that Trump had acted at Sessions's and Rosenstein's recommendation. "Let me be clear with you, that was not what this is about," Pence said when asked whether Trump fired Comey to impede the Russia investigation. 
 
 Pence's lawyer Richard Cullen said the vice president "stands by his statement." 
 
 "It was true then, and it is true today," he said. 
 
 The events leading to Comey's firing also raise questions for Rosenstein, who now holds authority over the special counsel's investigation because Sessions recused himself over his role as a Trump campaign adviser. 
 
 Rosenstein had been provided Trump's letter prior to submitting his own memo about Comey's conduct. 
 
 Rosenstein has previously confirmed that he learned while meeting with Trump on May 8 that the president intended to remove Comey from his post. 
 
 "Notwithstanding my personal affection for Director Comey, I thought it was appropriate to seek a new leader," Rosenstein said in a statement to Congress. 
 
 He said he finalized his memo the next day, asking an ethics expert who had worked in the deputy attorney general's office during multiple administrations to review it first. He said he told that attorney that Trump was going to remove Comey and that he was "writing a memorandum to the Attorney General summarizing my own concerns." 
 
 "I wrote it. I believe it. I stand by it," Rosenstein said in a statement to Congress. 
 
 Rosenstein told the Associated Press in June that he was open to recusing himself from his position of authority over the Mueller probe, if that became necessary because his own actions were part of the investigation. 
 
 "I've talked with Director Mueller about this," Rosenstein told the AP. "He's going to make the appropriate decisions, and if anything that I did winds up being relevant to his investigation, then, as Director Mueller and I discussed, if there's a need from me to recuse, I will." 
 
 Ian Prior, a Justice Department spokesman, said, "The Department of Justice does not comment on communications with the White House." 
 
 Philip Rucker and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. ||||| Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump on Tuesday fired FBI Director James Comey , sweeping away the man who is responsible for the bureau's investigation into whether members of his campaign team colluded with Russia in its interference in last year's election. 
 
 The bombshell announcement that sent shock and surprise ricocheting through Washington ends the career of the man who was once seen as the unimpeachable and nonpartisan ideal of how a law enforcement officer should behave. But Comey saw his reputation tarnished when he was dragged into the toxic politics of the 2016 campaign. 
 
 The Trump administration attributed Comey's dismissal to his handling of the investigation into Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's email server, but Democrats ridiculed that notion, raising parallels to Watergate-era firings and suggested Comey was getting too close to the White House with the Russia probe. 
 
 In any case, senior White House officials appeared to have badly misjudged the impact of Trump's sudden move. A source with knowledge of discussions inside the White House told CNN's Dana Bash that the thinking was that because Democrats were saying precisely what Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said in a letter explaining the grounds for Comey's dismissal, there would be no backlash. 
 
 What was not thought through, apparently, was an explanation of why Comey was fired now, at a time when critics would immediately conclude it was because of the Russia probe. 
 
 In recent days, Comey again came under fire for his handling of the investigation into Clinton's private email server. Many Democrats believe that his announcement that he was reopening the probe 11 days before the election cost the former secretary of state the presidency. 
 
 Trump referred to Democrats' criticism of Comey Wednesday morning, tweeting, "The Democrats have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad!" 
 
 The Democrats have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017 
 
 Comey learned of his dismissal from televisions tuned to the news, as he was addressing the workforce at the FBI office in Los Angeles, law enforcement sources said. The source said he made a joke about it to lighten the mood and called his office to get confirmation. 
 
 Longtime Trump ally Roger Stone was among those who recommended to the President that he fire Comey, according to a source familiar with the conversation. Stone, who also is being scrutinized by the FBI as part of its Russia investigation, spoke to Trump after Comey appeared at a hearing last week on Capitol Hill, according to the source. 
 
 Trump immediately disputed that Stone was involved: "The Roger Stone report on @CNN is false - Fake News. Have not spoken to Roger in a long time - had nothing to do with my decision." 
 
 The Roger Stone report on @CNN is false - Fake News. Have not spoken to Roger in a long time - had nothing to do with my decision. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017 
 
 Stone said he was not the source behind the reporting but added that he supported the firing of Comey "100%." 
 
 A White House spokesperson reached out to CNN to reiterate the President's tweet that he has not spoken to Stone in a "long time," adding, "The President has not spoken to Roger Stone in many months and any reports suggesting otherwise are categorically untrue." 
 
 The letters 
 
 In a signed letter released by the White House, Trump informed Comey that he was "hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately," explaining that he reached the conclusion that Comey is "not able to effectively lead the bureau." 
 
 "It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission," Trump told Comey in the letter. "I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors." 
 
 White House press secretary Sean Spicer, sandwiched in the dark between a gaggle of reporters and a large shrub on the White House driveway, described Trump's decision as arriving only after a long memo from the deputy attorney general, which Spicer said was delivered Tuesday, detailing Comey's shortcomings on investigating Clinton's emails. 
 
 But multiple White House officials said Trump had been considering firing Comey for at least a week before he made Tuesday's decision. Indeed, Trump revealed his anger in a string of late-night messages on Twitter May 2, exactly a week before his final decision was made public. 
 
 At the center of Rosenstein's rationale for recommending Comey's firing was the director's handling of the investigation into Clinton's private server, namely his decision to recommend no charges be filed and the news conference he held to explain his reasoning. 
 
 JUST WATCHED Senator calls Comey firing 'shocking' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Senator calls Comey firing 'shocking' 01:03 
 
 Rosenstein accused Comey of attempting to "usurp the attorney general's authority" by publicly announcing why he felt the case should be closed without prosecution. 
 
 "Compounding the error, the director ignored another longstanding principle: We do not hold press conferences to release derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation," Rosenstein argued in his memo. 
 
 "We should reject the departure and return to the traditions (of the bureau)," Rosenstein said. "The way the director handled the conclusion of the email investigation was wrong. As a result, the FBI is unlikely to regain public and congressional trust until it has a director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges never to repeat them." 
 
 Congressional reaction 
 
 But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he told Trump on the telephone that he had made a terrible mistake. 
 
 "Were these investigations getting too close to home for the President?" Schumer asked. 
 
 And in a sign of possible trouble for the administration, Republican Sen. Richard Burr, who is leading a Senate intelligence committee probe into alleged Russian influence on the election, expressed disquiet at the firing of Comey, which he described as a "loss for the bureau and the nation. 
 
 "I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey's termination. I have found Director Comey to be a public servant of the highest order, and his dismissal further confuses an already difficult investigation by the Committee," Burr said. 
 
 As Democrats renewed their demands for a special counsel, arguing that the Trump Justice Department could not be trusted to oversee the case, Republicans insisted that one was not needed. 
 
 "I think Rod Rosenstein, the new deputy attorney general, is competent to lead that effort," said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the GOP leadership. 
 
 But Republican Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker of Tennessee said that though Rosenstein's rationale for removing Comey was sound, it, would "raise questions." 
 
 Sen. John McCain added: "While the President has the legal authority to remove the director of the FBI, I am disappointed in the President's decision to remove James Comey from office." 
 
 The Arizona senator renewed his request for a special congressional committee to review the Russia allegations. 
 
 'Absurd' 
 
 CNN's senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin was not buying the idea that Comey was sacked over the Clinton investigation, saying it was "absurd." 
 
 Toobin branded the move a "grotesque abuse of power by the President of the United States." 
 
 "This is not something that is within the American political tradition," Toobin said, comparing the sacking of Comey to President Richard Nixon's firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the Watergate scandal. 
 
 "This is not normal. This is not politics as usual," said Toobin, though he added that Trump did have the legal authority to fire an FBI director. 
 
 The White House, however, said that the impetus for the firing of Comey came from Rosenstein, noting that he was a career prosecutor who served under President Barack Obama as the US Attorney for Maryland, and was confirmed in his new job on April 25. 
 
 A senior administration official said that Rosenstein assessed the situation upon taking office and concluded the FBI director had lost his confidence. He sent his recommendation to Sessions -- who has recused himself from the Russia investigation since he was a Trump adviser and campaign surrogate -- who forwarded it to Trump, who accepted it on Tuesday. 
 
 JUST WATCHED Toobin: Trump admin going to put a stooge in Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Toobin: Trump admin going to put a stooge in 01:26 
 
 Team Clinton reaction 
 
 Former Clinton campaign officials accused Trump of using the furor over Comey's handling of the email server as a ruse to get out from under the Russia investigation. 
 
 "I was as frustrated, concerned and disappointed as anyone with Director Comey's handling of the email investigation, but President Trump just fired the man investigating how Russia meddled in our election and whether members of his campaign were involved, an investigation President Trump called a "charade" only 24 hours ago," said Clinton's former campaign manager, Robby Mook. 
 
 "It's equally concerning that our attorney general, who lied about his own meetings with the Russians, approved Director Comey's firing," he said. 
 
 One Trump loyalist, who worked on the campaign and the transition, gave his reaction to CNN's Jim Sciutto. 
 
 "I firmly believe the Russia angle is fake news. But this gives me pause," the person said. 
 
 Senior Justice Department and FBI officials said they were unaware of the Comey decision until the announcement. Officials who spoke to CNN said they were shocked by the development. 
 
 Comey's term was due to run until 2023. The decade-long tenure was introduced to shield FBI directors from being drawn into politics, but the position is still subject to dismissal at the pleasure of the President. 
 
 Comey's last appearance on Capitol Hill last week exacerbated doubts about his position. Just before news of his dismissal broke, his office issued a statement aiming to clear up his testimony that former Clinton aide Huma Abedin "forwarded hundreds and thousands" of emails to her husband's laptop. 
 
 The note, signed by Gregory Brower, assistant director of the FBI's Office of Congressional Affairs, clarified that the "hundreds and thousands of emails" that Comey said were 'forwarded" from Abedin to her husband's email "included emails transferred via backups as well as manual forwarding." 
 
 The White House said it would immediately launch the search for a new FBI director. Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is now the acting FBI director, according to a message sent to employees by Sessions. 
 
 Comey was appointed FBI director by President Barack Obama in 2013. 
 
 In so doing, he elevated a Republican law enforcement veteran who had been critical of the Justice Department under former President George W. Bush to the top domestic investigative and surveillance organization, among the most powerful posts in the world. 
 
 In the decades since former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial director who brought the FBI into the modern era, law enforcement has avoided the appearance of influencing politics the way Hoover did. 
 
 But Comey's decision to thrust himself repeatedly into the 2016 election put him at odds with the FBI's general decision to stay away from the political spotlight. 
 
 Comey made the decision in July to go public with his recommendation that the Justice Department not pursue any charges against Clinton or her former staffers over her email practices as secretary of state. However, he also took the opportunity to rebuke Clinton at length as being "extremely careless" with sensitive information. 
 
 Then-candidate Trump had talked up the investigation until this point, at which time he and his campaign derided Comey for the "political" decision. 
 
 Just days away from the election, Comey jumped into the race again. He informed Congress, via letter, that the FBI had reopened its investigation into Clinton. The decision was made because of its investigation into former Rep. Anthony Weiner, who is married to Clinton confidant Huma Abedin. Comey followed up days later with another letter, informing Congress that the FBI didn't find anything and continued to believe Clinton's practices did not merit the pursuance of any criminal charges. 
 
 After Clinton's loss, former President Bill Clinton blamed Comey for it, as have many Clinton staffers, at least in part. 
 
 Last week, Hillary Clinton herself told CNN's Christiane Amanpour: "I was on the way to winning until a combination of Jim Comey's letter on October 28 and Russian WikiLeaks raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me and got scared off." 
 
 After taking office, Trump met with Comey at the White House. 
 
 He offered a cryptic remark to the FBI chief. 
 
 "Oh, here's Jim," Trump said in January. "He's become more famous than me."
– James Comey has been fired as FBI director by President Trump, the AP reports. ABC News tweeted a copy of the White House statement on the matter, which says that Trump acted "based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions." Trump says the move will mark "a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement." Senior government officials tell the New York Times that Sessions was given the job of coming up with a reason to fire Comey last week. Democratic leaders point out that Sessions had recused himself from the investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign—an investigation Comey was leading, the New York Daily News reports. Rosenstein says Comey was fired for his handling of the Clinton email situation, saying he "cannot defend" Comey's behavior, the Times reports. Both Sessions and Trump had previously praised Comey's actions leading up to the election. According to Talking Points Memo, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer wonders if the Russia investigation was "getting too close to home" for Trump and calls for a special prosecutor to continue the investigation. CNN has a copy of Trump's termination letter to Comey, in which Trump says he "greatly appreciate[s]" Comey assuring him, "on three separate occasions," that he is not under investigation, but nonetheless he does not believe Comey can effectively lead the FBI. Comey, who was only three years into a 10-year term, learned of his firing from television reports, which began airing on screens behind him as he spoke to FBI employees in LA. The letter was subsequently delivered to FBI headquarters.