Summary

  • The FBI's director confirms an inquiry into any Donald Trump campaign links to Russia

  • The law enforcement chief says there is no evidence to support Trump's claim that Obama wiretapped Trump

  • The Trump administration says 'nothing has changed' and 'there is NO EVIDENCE of Trump-Russia collusion'

  • The NSA's head strongly denies Trump administration claims that he asked Britain's GCHQ to spy on Trump

  • Democrats and Republicans, meanwhile, trade barbs at Senate hearing on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch

  1. Democrats vent anger at Scotus seatpublished at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Ranking Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat Dianne Feinstein begins her address by citing the Republicans' block on ex-President Barack Obama's nomination of federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.

    She lamented the "unprecedented treatment of Judge Garland" and said she was "deeply disappointed that it is under these circumstances that we begin this hearing".

    She cites abortion rights and gun control as key issues in the hearing, and immediately turns to several of nominee Judge's Gorsuch's rulings that she opposed.

    Dianne Feinstein with Neil Gorsuch (C) and Chuck GrassleyImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Dianne Feinstein with Neil Gorsuch (C) and Chuck Grassley

  2. 'Sorting out accusation from reality' - Former CIA directorpublished at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    In the last few hours, FBI Director Comey has confirmed for the first time that the agency is investigating allegations of collusion between Donald Trump's campaign team and the Russian government before last year's presidential election. 

    Trump has dismissed as "fake news" claims that Moscow helped him win the election. 

    But a former director of the CIA, Michael Hayden, who was also a former head of the National Security Agency, told the BBC it would be difficult to establish the truth:

    Michael HaydenImage source, Getty

    "I think what we will find out is that there were indeed contacts between people in the Trump orbit - a lot of them were international businessmen with previous travels to Russia.

    "You're going to find, I think, some connective tissue to people in the Russian Federation, even some dodgy people in the Russian Federation. 

    "But that is not on its face evidence of collusion. And hence, I think the bureau is going to have a very difficult time sorting out accusation from reality."

  3. FBI director confirms investigationpublished at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Here's James Comey's full statement about the Russia inquiry...

    Media caption,

    FBI confirms inquiry into Russia election claims

  4. 'An extraordinary event'published at 15:43 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The FBI director has refused to say if an unauthorised disclosure of Fisa (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) information was disclosed, but he strongly assured the congressional panel that they are looking into it.

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  5. Guccifer and Assangepublished at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Democrat Adam Schiff asks if the FBI is aware of specific communications between Trump advisers, Russian intelligence operatives, hackers, and news media. 

    He links former Trump adviser Roger Stone to hacker Guccifer, who was convicted of high-level computer security breaches in the US, and Wikileaks' Julian Assange.

    "Are you aware of...", he asks several times, with Mr Comey saying that he cannot publicly discuss.

    "Same answer," he responds several times. 

  6. Calling Sean Spicer...published at 15:36 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Members of the White House Press Corp are asking the White House press secretary for comment after the NSA director responded with a loud "No" to claims - perpetuated by Mr Spicer - that the British had helped Obama hack Trump's phone.

    Spicer has a White House daily briefing today at 13:30 local time.

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  7. Republicans focus on leakspublished at 15:32 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Congressman Trey Gowdy - who led a two-year Benghazi investigation into Hillary Clinton - is wondering aloud which member of the US government gave classified information to reporters. 

    He's been asking the FBI director what exactly it would take to prosecute a journalist for publishing leaked information.

    Who exactly can "unmask" the subject of an investigation, he demands to know.

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  8. Scotus hearing champions judicial independencepublished at 15:28 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley opens the Supreme Court nomination hearing by stressing the importance of protecting against "the mischief that results from the concentration of power".

    He says: "The Founders understood this fundamental principle, and Justice [Antonin] Scalia understood it better than anyone. He was fond of telling law students: 'Every tin horn dictator in the world today, every president for life, has a Bill of Rights.'

    But, "the real key to the distinctiveness of America is the structure of our government".

    Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck GrassleyImage source, Getty Images
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    Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley

  9. Leakers in the spotlightpublished at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy has questions about when the target of a Fisa (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) investigation is "unmasked" to the public or press.

    Gowdy asked FBI Director Comey if the information in a Fisa application was "classified or legally protected", and if it would lead to a prosecution if leaked.

    Comey confirmed the punishment of up to 10 years in jail, adding "as it should be".

    What is the Fisa court?

    The Fisa (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) court approves surveillance warrants under Fisa against "agents of a foreign power", mainly to either the FBI or NSA.

    Any application has to be approved by one of 11 sitting judges.

  10. Watergate parallel drawnpublished at 15:19 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Why was Watergate - the scandal that engulfed President Richard Nixon - illegal? the FBI director is asked.

    Comey starts off by saying he was "a kid when it happened", but he can still list the crimes, including a break-in at the Democratic party's offices at the Watergate hotel in Washington DC.

    Congressman Schiff says the Russians broke into the Democratic servers, drawing a parallel to the scandal that led to Nixon's resignation. 

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  11. Will Democrats try to block Gorsuch?published at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Neil GorsuchImage source, CBS

    It is unclear whether Democrats today will try to campaign against Judge Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court.

    Although a conservative, he is well respected, and the Democrats may choose to keep their powder dry.

    However, they will surely press him on President Donald Trump's travel ban and abortion rights.

    Here is a CNN/ORC poll on how people see Judge Gorsuch's views.

    GraphImage source, CNN/ORC
  12. British hacking claim 'nonsense'published at 15:14 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    "If you were to ask the British to spy on an American, that would be a violation of US law, would it not?"

    "Yes sir," NSA Director Rogers answers.

    "Our British allies have called the president's suggestion that they wire-tapped him for Obama 'nonsense and utterly ridiculous', would you agree?"

    "Yes sir," Rogers answers, adding that the assertion "clearly frustrates a key ally of ours".  

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  13. Is leaking classified info illegal?published at 15:09 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    "I thought it was against the law to disseminate classified information... is it?" South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy asks.

    "Yes," Comey answers with a bit of surprise.

  14. 'No president could'published at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    "Can Obama order a wiretap?" the FBI director is asked

    "No president could," Comey says, referencing the legal process required to authorise a wiretap.

    He refuses to answer if the FBI was ever asked to wiretap Trump's phones. 

    Comey says he cannot answer and asks the panel not to read anything into his inability to answer.

  15. 'No -isms'published at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Did you participate in McCarthyism, the FBI director is asked?

    The question refers to Trump's 4 March tweet: "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" 

    "I try not to participate in any -isms," Comey replies to laughter, adding that he cannot comment on the tweets themselves.

  16. 'Did Obama tap Trump's phones?'published at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017
    Breaking

    "I have no information that supports those tweets and we have looked carefully inside the FBI," Comey says about President Trump's tweets.

    He adds that the answer is the same for the Department of Justice.

  17. Supreme Court nominee hearing beginningpublished at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the vacant post on the Supreme Court is getting under way.

    As a lifetime appointee, he would be one of nine justices who have the final legal word on many of the most sensitive US issues, from abortion to gender to gun control to workers' rights.

    He can expect tough questioning from Democrats on whether he will remain independent from President Donald Trump.

    You can follow it on C-SPAN here, external .

    Neil GorsuchImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Neil Gorsuch

  18. Who to 'unmask'?published at 14:56 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    The NSA's Mike Rogers is now discussing what is required to "unmask" a person associated with a classified investigation.

    Republican Congressman Tom Rooney asked under what circumstance Trump's former National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn would have been identified by the NSA as having discussed sanction with the Russian ambassador.

    Michael Flynn's discussion with the Russian ambassador to the US had been leaked to the US media, including a transcript of his discussion shortly after Trump was elected, eventually leading to his resignation.

    Republicans are demanding answers regarding where those leaks to the press came from.

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  19. Nunes: 'Let me be clear'published at 14:55 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Here's Republican committee chairman Devin Nunes' opening statement.

    To recap, he said: "Let me be clear: We know there was not a wiretap on Trump Tower. However, it's still possible that other surveillance activities were used against President Trump and his associates."

    Media caption,

    Chairman Devin Nunes details the three priorities of the hearing

  20. Comey confirms investigationpublished at 14:47 Greenwich Mean Time 20 March 2017

    Here's that extraordinary clip, it should be noted that the FBI does not usually discuss or even confirm the existence of ongoing investigations.

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