Axios: New FBI director threatened to resign under pressure from Sessions - CNN Politics

Axios: New FBI director threatened to resign under pressure from Sessions

By Eli Watkins, CNN

Updated 0632 GMT (1432 HKT) January 23, 2018

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WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 11: cting FBI Director Andrew McCabe (L) and Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo (R) testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee with the other heads of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill May 11, 2017 in Washington, DC. The intelligence officials were questioned by the committee during the annual hearing about world wide threats to United States' security.

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Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, listens as US President Donald Trump speaks at American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan on March 15, 2017.

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UCLA basketball players Cody Riley, left, LiAngelo Ball, right, and Jalen Hill, background center, are surrounded by the media as they leave the Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, in Los Angeles. The three UCLA basketball players detained in China on suspicion of shoplifting returned home, where they may be disciplined by the school as a result of the international scandal.

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US Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks to the Federalist Society 2017 National Lawyers Convention in Washington, DC, November 17, 2017. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

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Kushner Attorney

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President Donald Trump stands with Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and Vice President Mike Pence after laying flowers on the grave of Kelly's son, First Lieutenant Robert Kelly, at Arlington National Cemetery on May 29, 2017 in Arlington, Virginia. Lt. Kelly was killed in 2010 while leading a patrol in Afghanistan.

John Kelly often sounds a lot like Trump

elaine duke john kelly dhs orig bw_00000000.jpg

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Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor to US President Donald Trump, listens as Trump delivers remarks to auto industry executives at American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan on March 15, 2017.

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WASHINGTON, DC: Ivanka Trump, daughter and advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, attends the ceremony to pardon the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the Rose Garden at the White House November 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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US Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during an event at the Justice Department May 12 in Washington, DC. Sessions was presented with an award "honoring his support of law enforcement" by the Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York City during the event.

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WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 11: cting FBI Director Andrew McCabe (L) and Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo (R) testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee with the other heads of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill May 11, 2017 in Washington, DC. The intelligence officials were questioned by the committee during the annual hearing about world wide threats to United States' security. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Axios: Sessions pushing to fire McCabe

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 22: Hope Hicks, White House director of strategic communications, arrives to a swearing in ceremony of White House senior staff in the East Room of the White House on January 22, 2017 in Washington, DC. Trump today mocked protesters who gathered for large demonstrations across the U.S. and the world on Saturday to signal discontent with his leadership, but later offered a more conciliatory tone, saying he recognized such marches as a "hallmark of our democracy." (Photo by Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images)

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Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, listens as US President Donald Trump speaks at American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan on March 15, 2017.

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UCLA basketball players Cody Riley, left, LiAngelo Ball, right, and Jalen Hill, background center, are surrounded by the media as they leave the Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, in Los Angeles. The three UCLA basketball players detained in China on suspicion of shoplifting returned home, where they may be disciplined by the school as a result of the international scandal.

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US Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks to the Federalist Society 2017 National Lawyers Convention in Washington, DC, November 17, 2017. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks about North Korea during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, in Washington, Monday, Nov. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Axios said Sessions asked Wray to fire the deputy director

The news came as the Justice Department said it did not preserve months of messages due to a glitch

Washington (CNN)FBI Director Chris Wray threatened to resign as Attorney General Jeff Sessions called on him to fire his outgoing deputy, Axios reported Monday.

CNN previously reported Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe told other senior FBI officials months ago that he planned to retire in the near future, is eligible to retire in March and, under FBI rules governing accumulated leave, may be able to exit earlier. McCabe has taken fire publicly from President Donald Trump and his allies in recent weeks over the FBI's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation and his connections to anti-Trump messages sent between two FBI employees during the campaign.

The Axios report, based on three unnamed sources, said Sessions was pressuring Wray to fire McCabe, and that one source familiar with the situation said Sessions conveyed to White House counsel Don McGahn how upset Wray was about the request, and that McGahn in turn said it wasn't worth losing Wray over.

Top FBI official grilled on Comey, Clinton in Hill testimony

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In a statement responding to the Axios report, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah did not address its reporting specifically, but instead reaffirmed Trump's respect for the agency and its leader.

"The President has enormous respect for the thousands of rank-and-file FBI agents who make up the world's most professional and talented law enforcement agency," Shah said. "He believes politically motivated senior leaders, including former Director (James) Comey and others he empowered, have tainted the agency's reputation for unbiased pursuit of justice. The president appointed Chris Wray because he is a man of true character and integrity, and the right choice to clean up the misconduct at the highest levels of the FBI and give the rank and file confidence in their leadership."

Asked about the Axios report in an interview on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time," White House counselor Kellyanne Conway declined to respond and said she had no direct knowledge of direct conversations between the attorney general and the FBI director.

"I am certainly not discussing what Attorney General Sessions and Director Wray discuss on the job," Conway said. "I would have no direct knowledge of that."

New texts from FBI official removed from Mueller probe delivered to Congress

New texts from FBI official removed from Mueller probe delivered to Congress

Trump has publicly called on McCabe to step down and tweeted repeated attacks on the FBI official.

In one December tweet, Trump said, "FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"

McCabe took on heightened scrutiny and criticism as news surfaced early last month that FBI agent Peter Strzok had been removed over the summer from the special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller after Mueller learned of anti-Trump messages Strzok had exchanged during the campaign with Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer who also was assigned to the Mueller investigation.

In an August 2016 message, Strzok made an apparent reference to a discussion in McCabe's office.

A new cache of messages between Strzok and Page were delivered to Congress last Friday, according to Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson. The senator asked in a letter on Saturday if the FBI has any records of messages exchanged from December 14, 2016, to May 17, 2017, which the Justice Department said were not preserved due to a technical glitch.

US shutdown: Trump hails 'big win' and says Democrats caved in - BBC News

23/1/2018

US shutdown: Trump hails 'big win' and says Democrats caved in

Donald Trump's answerphone message blamed Democrats for the shutdown over the weekend

US President Donald Trump has hailed the end of the government shutdown as a "big win" for Republicans.

The Democratic leadership agreed to back the bill after accepting promises from Republicans for a debate later on the future of young illegal immigrants.

Mr Trump said the Democrats "caved" as he signed a bill to end the three-day shutdown.

But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said: "The great deal-making president sat on the sidelines."

Thousands of federal employees who had been placed on temporary, unpaid leave since Saturday prepared to return to work.

"It was essentially a lunch break," Tom Chapel, a scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, told Reuters news agency.

Winners and losers from the shutdown

What does a government shutdown cost?

A spending bill that ended the shutdown passed the Senate by a majority of 81-18 and the House of Representatives by 266-150 on Monday.

Stocks rose as news of the agreement spread.

But the deal is not a long-term solution.

It is the fourth temporary measure since October because Capitol Hill cannot agree a longer-term budget.

The so-called continuing resolution keeps the government funded until 8 February in the hope that Congress can reach a longer-term budget agreement in the meantime.

"I know there's great relief that this episode is coming to an end," said Speaker Paul Ryan. "But this is not a moment to pat ourselves on the back. Not even close."

What are Republicans saying?

Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said his party had "come to an arrangement" to negotiate on the Democrats' calls for an immigration deal.

Democrats want protections from deportation for so-called Dreamers, more than 700,000 young immigrants brought to the US as children.

But Republicans had insisted no agreement was possible while federal government services were closed.

Mr Trump, a Republican, said in a statement: "I am pleased that Democrats in Congress have come to their senses.

"We will make a long-term deal on immigration if, and only if, it is good for our country."

He then tweeted that the Democrats had "caved", adding that he looked forward to future negotiations.

@realDonaldTrump

Even Crazy Jim Acosta of Fake News CNN agrees: “Trump World and WH sources dancing in end zone: Trump wins again...Schumer and Dems caved...gambled and lost.” Thank you for your honesty Jim!

10:31 PM - Jan 23, 2018

The White House answerphone message over the weekend blamed Democrats for the shutdown, saying: "Unfortunately, we cannot answer your call today, because Congressional Democrats are holding government funding - including funding for our troops and other national security priorities - hostage to an unrelated immigration debate."

White House and Chuck Schumer trade barbs over shutdown

Did Democrats 'cave'?

On Twitter, "Democrats CAVED" was trending on Monday evening.

Democrats voiced scepticism of Mr McConnell's promise and some liberal groups are infuriated by the agreement to reopen the government.

Possible Democratic 2020 presidential candidates in the Senate - Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris - all voted against Monday's bill.

Senator Harris, of California, said it would be "foolhardy" to trust Mr McConnell's promise to take up an immigration bill in the coming weeks.

Another California senator, Dianne Feinstein, told The Hill, a political news outlet, she was "very disappointed" in the deal because there's no guarantee that Republicans would help Dreamers.

Democratic congressman Luis Gutierrez slammed his own party's senators after the vote saying: "They caved. They blinked. That's what they do."

Stephanie Taylor, of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said: "Today's cave by Senate Democrats - led by weak-kneed, right-of-centre Democrats - is why people don't believe the Democratic Party stands for anything."

Government workers on what happens during a shutdown

Why don't shutdowns happen elsewhere?

In parliamentary systems, a government that cannot pay the bills does not last long.

In 2012, the Dutch government could not agree a budget. The prime minister resigned, elections were held, and a new government formed.

Some countries do not even need a government to function.

After its 2010 election, Belgium went more than 500 days without elected leadership, but still avoided a shutdown.

Taxes were collected, workers were paid, and a caretaker government passed a budget.

In France - a semi-presidential system - the constitution sets out what happens when a budget is not passed.

The French government shall "make available by decree the funds needed to meet commitments already voted for", the constitution says.

Really, the question is not why other countries do not shut down. It is why the US does shut down, even when there is money sloshing round the system.

That stems from the early 1980s, when US Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti strictly interpreted the 1884 Antideficiency Act in 1980.

He said, in the event of a funding gap, government agencies should suspend operations - until money was appropriated by Congress.

With Trump absent in shutdown debate, moderate U.S. senators fill void - Reuters

JANUARY 23, 2018 / 1:58 PM /

With Trump absent in shutdown debate, moderate U.S. senators fill void

Ginger Gibson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With President Donald Trump standing back from negotiations to end the U.S. government shutdown, it was a group of around two dozen moderate senators that took the lead in hammering out a compromise.

U.S. Senators' Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (R-WV) brief reporters after lawmakers struck a deal to reopen the federal government three days into a shutdown on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 22, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Congress voted on Monday to end the three-day closure of federal agencies by approving the latest short-term bill to fund the government. Trump signed the bill late on Monday.

Democrats had initially balked at backing a spending bill without protections for young “Dreamers,” who were brought illegally to the country as children. Republicans refused to put such protections in the bill.

With party leaders blaming each other, a group of senators, who considered themselves pragmatists, began meeting.

The group, about evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, was led by Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, and Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from the heavily Republican state of West Virginia.

“When we saw this heading sideways, I called Susan and I said: ‘I think this is going the wrong way, we might want to get ready,'” said Senator Joe Donnelly, a Democrat from Indiana. “And she was already thinking the same thing and all of us were.”

Snacking on “Thin Mint” Girl Scout cookies and popcorn, they met repeatedly over the weekend and by Sunday, offered ideas for the party leaders to consider.

Of the 13 Democrats in the group, eight are seeking re-election in November’s congressional elections, including five who represent states won by Trump in 2016. Of the 11 Republicans, none is up for re-election and two plan to retire.

SWITZERLAND

Collins’ office, where the talks were held, was dubbed “Switzerland.”

During the shutdown, Trump fired off tweets blaming Democrats for the impasse and spoke by phone to Republican lawmakers. He met on Friday with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, but those talks went badly and the Republican president stayed out of the fray after that.

A source with knowledge of internal White House discussions said White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and other top aides told Trump that “it is better if you don’t inject yourself right now.”

But White House aides continued to talk with lawmakers from both parties.

On Friday, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Schumer tried but failed to reach an agreement.

Hours before the midnight deadline to avert a shutdown, Collins convened 18 senators in her office, one of several meetings that would take place.

‘TALKING STICK’

Eventually, the group widened to include about 24 senators.

During their conversations, a “talking stick” was handed around to each person when it was that lawmaker’s turn to speak in order to avoid people talking over one another.

Chairs were arranged in a semi-circle so people could face each other, said Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan.

On Sunday afternoon, several senators emerged from Collins’ office expressing cautious optimism.

Collins later met with Schumer to try to finalize the deal.

Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp, an original member of the group, said it became clear that for Democrats to be willing to cut a deal, they wanted a “more robust statement” from McConnell underscoring his promise to take up immigration legislation.

The bipartisan group met one last time on Monday morning over coffee and breakfast pastries. Heitkamp said a deal seemed within reach when it became clear McConnell was willing to offer a more concrete commitment to take up immigration legislation.

McConnell promised to allow the Senate to conduct an open vote process in early February, which will ensure at least that the Senate will hold a vote.

“I thought: ‘This could work,'” Heitkamp said.

The group is now considering its role going forward. Members have talked of establishing a weekly meeting.

The newly approved bill will keep the government funded through Feb. 8. That leaves another deadline for working out the next spending bill and trying to tackle the immigration issue.

“We have 17 days to show that the Senate as a whole can hammer out a compromise and move forward on a huge menu of issues that have been stalled,” said Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat and member of the bipartisan group. “What I‘m confident of is that I‘m now going to have to work harder if we’re going to take advantage of any of this.”

Reporting by Ginger Gibson. Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Susan Cornwell, Richard Cowan, Amanda Becker, Blake Brittain, and David Morgan; Editing by Caren Bohan and Peter Cooney