Full James Comey Testimony on President Donald Trump, Russia Investigation at Senate Hearing

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James Comey , the former FBI Director, is expected to discuss conversations he had with the President Trump prior to being relieved of his duties. Full article: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/james-comey-testifies-trump-administration-lied-defamed-fbi/story?id=47901315 FBI Director James Comey accused President Donald Trump’s administration of defaming him and the FBI, and lying to the American people. “Although the law requires no reason at all to fire an FBI director the administration then chose to defame me and more importantly the FBI by saying that the organization was in disarray, that it was poorly led, that the work force had lost confidence in its leader,” Comey said. "Those were lies plain and simple. And I am so sorry that the FBI work force had to hear them and I am so sorry that the American people were told them.” In a prepared statement he entered into the record today that was released Wednesday, Comey describes a series of uncomfortable interactions with Trump, in which he says the president requested his loyalty and pressed him to drop the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Some of the allegations in Comey’s statement have been directly contradicted by the White House in the past. On May 12, press secretary Sean Spicer rejected the notion that Trump ever asked Comey to pledge loyalty, and on May 18 Trump himself said he never urged Comey to back off the investigation into Flynn. “The president disputes that he ever asked for Jim Comey’s loyalty and he disputes that he ever asked Comey to let the Flynn investigation go in any way,” a source familiar with the president’s thinking told ABC News today. Comey gave Trump assurances about investigation, but questions remain ANALYSIS: Comey offers central challenge to Trump presidency Read the full text of James Comey's Senate testimony opening remarks ABC News has learned that Trump will be watching Comey’s hearing and testimony today with his legal team and senior advisers from the president’s personal dining room near the Oval Office in the White House. On May 9, Trump fired Comey from his position as FBI director after receiving letters recommending he do so from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Sources told ABC News that the firing came as a surprise to Comey, which is part of the story he plans to tell today before the committee. As one source said, he was “angry” and wants the public to know why. ABC News reported earlier this week that Comey’s congressional testimony would make the White House uncomfortable, but that Comey won't say the president directly interfered in the FBI’s probe into Flynn. Prior to Comey's testimony today, a person close to the former FBI director told ABC News he was prepared and calm. "That's what happens when you are armed with the truth; it washes all over you," the individual told ABC News. SUBSCRIBE to ABC NEWS: https://www.youtube.com/ABCNews/ Watch More on http://abcnews.go.com/ LIKE ABC News on FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/abcnews FOLLOW ABC News on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/abc GOOD MORNING AMERICA'S HOMEPAGE: https://gma.yahoo.com/