FBI head vows: No updates for White House on Russia probe

The acting head of the FBI, Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, vowed to lawmakers on Thursday that he would not update the White House on the investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. 

But he declined, under fierce questioning from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), to weigh in on whether it would have been “wrong” for former Director James Comey to tell the president he was not under investigation. 

President Trump on Tuesday fired Comey, roiling Washington with speculation the decision to  was an attempt to quash the Russia probe. Part of that investigation includes an examination of whether any Trump campaign associates coordinated with Russia to influence the election. 

The president, in his dismissal letter to Comey, said that he “appreciated” that the director had “on three separate occasions” assured him he was not under investigation. 

That claim has been met with raised eyebrows in Washington.  

McCabe in his testimony sought to reassure lawmakers that the investigation was appropriately resourced and was proceeding apace independent of any political influence from the White House. 

“There has been no effort to impede our investigation to date,” he said.

He further promised that he would inform the committee if there is any attempt to interfere in the probe in the future.