Twitter/CNN
The FBI's investigation into the Trump team's possible collusion with Russia is accelerating, and it's one of the reasons President Donald Trump fired James Comey, CNN anchor Jake Tapper said on Wednesday."That's still not only an active investigation - it's actually accelerating," Tapper said on his show "The Lead," citing a source close to the former FBI director who was abruptly fired on Tuesday.
Comey said the source provided one other reason for Comey's dismissal: his "refusal to provide the president with any sort of assurance of personal loyalty."
The White House maintains that the unexpected firing came at the behest of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions dated Tuesday, Rosenstein said he objected to Comey's handling of an FBI investigation into former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.
But politicians from both parties have questioned the timing of Comey's dismissal, with some critics suggesting Trump is trying to interfere with the Russia probe.
The firing has drawn comparisons to Richard Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre," in which he ordered the firing of a special prosecutor charged with investigating the Watergate scandal.
Watch Tapper's segment below:
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Source to @jaketapper: 2 reasons Comey was fired
- The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) May 10, 2017
1. Comey never provided Trump w assurance of loyalty
2. FBI's Russia probe was accelerating pic.twitter.com/vG5bmTCPeg