James Comey said he has no evidence to support Donald Trump’s claim that Barack Obama ordered a wiretap against Trump Tower before the presidential election.
The FBI director said he has no information that would back up the president’s tweets as he testified alongside National Security Agency head Michael Rogers before the House Intelligence Committee Monday.
“With respect to the president’s tweets, I have no information that supports those tweets and we have looked carefully inside the FBI,” Comey said. “The Department [of Justice] has no information that supports those tweets either.”
BREAKING: Comey says "no information" to support Trump's wiretapping tweets; says "no president" could order wiretap https://t.co/v2XE1gmDy6
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 20, 2017
Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
Rep. Adam Schiff asked Comey if he thought the former president was involved, or if Obama could “unilaterally” authorize a wiretap against a U.S. citizen.
“All I can tell you is we have no information that supports them,” Comey said. “No individual can direct the surveillance of anyone. It has to go through a judge.”
Comey: “No president could” unilaterally order a wiretap of anyone. https://t.co/OvKyiXJznd pic.twitter.com/QlUlhKFbcm
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 20, 2017
National Security Agency head Michael Rogers added that the idea that the U.S. asked British surveillance to spy on Trump Tower was “utterly ridiculous.”