President Donald Trump's attorney said Thursday former FBI Director James Comey's Senate testimony "finally confirmed publicly what he repeatedly told the president privately" – the president was not under investigation about Russia – and Trump "never pressured" him to end the probe into Michael Flynn.
"The president was not under investigation as part of any probe into Russian interference," Marc Kasowitz, the president's personal attorney, told reporters at the National Press Club in Washington.
"Mr. Comey also admitted that there is no evidence that a single vote changed as a result of any Russian interference," Kasowitz said, reading from a statement and later not taking questions.
"Mr. Comey's testimony also makes clear that the president never sought to impede the investigation into attempted Russian interference in the 2016 election.
"In sum, it is now established that the president was not being investigated for colluding with or attempting to obstruct," he said.
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Kasowitz also slammed Comey for admitting to senators he "unilaterally and surreptitiously" leaked notes of his meetings with Trump to a Columbia Law School friend to provide them to the press to spur the appointment of a special counsel.
"It is overwhelmingly clear that there have been and continue to be those in government who are actively attempting to undermine this administration with selective and illegal leaks of classified information and privileged communications," the attorney said.
"Mr. Comey has now admitted that he is one of these leakers."
Kasowitz's statement followed more than two hours of public testimony by Comey before the Senate Intelligence Committee on his dealings with Trump and the Russia investigation.
Comey told senators he believed Trump fired him to interfere with his investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 election and its alleged ties to the Trump campaign.
"It's my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation," Comey told committee members. "I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.
"That is a very big deal, and not just because it involves me," he said.
Comey also accused the Trump administration of spreading "lies, plain and simple" about him and the FBI in the wake of his firing by the president last month.
He declared the White House then "chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI" by claiming the bureau was in disorder under his leadership.
Comey also described intense discomfort about his one-on-one conversations with President Trump, saying he decided he immediately needed to document the discussions in memos.
"I was honestly concerned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting, so I thought it really important to document," Comey said. "I knew there might come a day when I might need a record of what happened not only to defend myself but to protect the FBI."
The former director also admitted he leaked his personal notes on his Trump meetings to prompt the naming of the special prosecutor.
Comey told senators he asked the Columbia friend to share his written recollections of those conversations with a reporter after his dismissal.
"I didn't do it myself for a variety of reasons," he said. "But I asked him to, because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel."
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller was named a day after the notes were first reported by The New York Times.
Kasowitz ripped Comey for the leaks, in light of the many breaches that have plagued the Trump administration since the president took office in January.
"Today, Mr. Comey admitted that he unilaterally and surreptitiously made unauthorized disclosures to the press of privileged communications with the president.
"Although Mr. Comey testified that he only leaked the memos in response to a tweet, the public record reveals that The New York Times was quoting from those memos the day before the referenced tweet," Kasowitz said.
The report "belies Mr. Comey's excuse for this unauthorized disclosure of privileged information and appears to be entirely retaliatory," he said.
"We will leave it to the appropriate authorities to determine whether these leaks should be investigated along with all the others that are being investigated."
On Comey's broader points, Kasowitz quoted portions of the testimony to reiterate President Trump never pressured him to drop the investigation into the former national security adviser on his alleged Moscow ties.
"The president never, in form or substance, suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone" including Flynn, he said.
He also said Trump never suggested "Mr. Comey 'let Flynn go.'
"As the president publicly stated the next day, he did say to Mr. Comey: 'Gen. Flynn is a good guy. He has been through a lot' and also 'ask how Gen. Flynn is doing.'"
Kasowitz said Comey testified Trump "never directed him to do anything illegal, immoral, unethical or inappropriate" and never, never "pressured him to do so.'"
He said Comey's testimony proved "the president likewise never pressured Mr. Comey" and "the president also never told Mr. Comey: 'I need loyalty. I expect loyalty.'
"He never said it in form and never said it in substance."
Kasowitz noted the FBI director serves at the pleasure of the president and "the Office of the President is entitled to expect loyalty from those who are serving the administration."
The lawyer noted Comey's appearance refuted "numerous false press accounts leading up to today's hearing" and reiterated President Trump was vindicated by the testimony.
"The president feels completely vindicated and is eager to continue moving forward with his agenda with the business of this country and with this public cloud removed."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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