FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY TESTIFIES BEFORE THE SENATE
FBI Director James Comey revealed on Wednesday that he feels ‘mildly nauseous’ but had no regrets about the possibility that his actions might have affected the outcome of the last American presidential election.
Speaking in front of a Senate panel, the FBI chief disclosed that he has utmost confidence in the ability of the FBI in the handling of a probe of any potential contacts between Russian agents and the Donald Trump campaign team.
Comey spent over four hours answering questions from Democrats and Republicans. He explained in detail the reason for every one of his actions insisting that every decision taken by the FBI was not outside the law and was without any political influence.
Comey said, “Look, this was terrible. It makes me mildly nauseous to think that we might have had some impact on the election. But honestly, it wouldn't change the decision,"
“Lordy, has this been painful," said the FBI chief. "I've gotten all kinds of rocks thrown at me, and this has been really hard, but I think I've done the right thing at each turn."
Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt) insisted after the hearing, he feels Comey’s actions were wrong and inappropriate considering it was just a few weeks to the elections.
“I would have been satisfied if he had done what all Republican and Democratic administrations have done in the past,” Senator Leahy said. “The Justice Department has a procedure. You do not release information like that just before an election.”
James Comey was asked by the Senators if there was an investigation into whether FBI agents may have leaked information about the Clinton investigation. An adviser to President Donald Trump, Rudolph Giuliani, claimed former agents had told him in advance of the reopening of the Clinton email investigation. Comey said "there will be severe consequences" if he discovered that information about FBI investigations were leaked.