10/05/2017 100 Days+

Hello and welcome to One Hundred Days Plus.

Washington is in uproar after the sudden and highly unusual

The White House says the firing wasn't because of the bureau's

Russia probe, but Democrats smell a rat.

Amid new reports that Comey recently requested more funds

for the Russia investigation - President Trump says he was fired

The sacking has led Democrats to call for an independent

investigation into ties between the Trump

Nothing less is at stake than the American people's faith

in our criminal justice system and the integrity of the executive

And Comey first thought the news that he'd been fired was a joke.

Then he had to fly home from the West coast

Spicing up the drama today, the Russian foreign minister

is in Washington, with a trip to the White House on the itinerary.

After the meeting Sergei Lavrov called allegations that Russia

tampered in the US election fake, accusing American lawmakers

Is Washington's political scene more chaotic than ever,

We delve into the archives to our coverage from the past.

I'm Katty Kay in Washington, Clive Myrie is in London.

In the firing of FBI director James Comey,

Donald Trump either showed strong and decisive leadership,

or he demonstrated undemocratic Nixonian tendencies.

James Comey had no idea his pink slip was on the way,

But Mr Trump says he has his reasons for firing Mr Comey now,

right in the middle of the Russia investigation into his

"Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington,

When things calm down, they will be thanking me!"

From Washington, here's our North America editor, Jon Sopel.

FBI director James Comey has been fired by the President

The term breaking news is bandied about with abandon but last

At FBI offices the first they knew their director had been

fired was when it flashed up on their TV screens.

And James Comey, who was in Los Angeles addressing

about it either until and aide handed him a note.

The letter sent by President Trump was brutal.

You are hereby terminated and removed from office,

At least they left him the government jet to fly

A private citizen, a turbulent career cut short.

And today the president was unrepentant.

Because he wasn't doing a good job, simply wasn't doing a good job.

James Comey, the six foot eight tall director confirmed in March

that the Trump campaign was under investigation

for its links to Russia during the election.

The FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission,

is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere

The president has railed consistently that it's fake

news and there has been no improper contact.

Last night he fired the man heading the inquiry.

It's caused fury and dismay among some Republicans, and all Democrats.

If there was ever a time when circumstances warranted

a special prosecutor, it is right now.

But the White House is seeking to persuade people that the decision

to fire Comey had nothing to do with Russia or the FBI

It is time for a fresh start at the FBI.

I think the president did as he has done in many other cases,

He provided strong leadership and to act on the recommendation

The White House says the loss of confidence stems

from James Comey's investigation into Hillary Clinton's use

of a private e-mail server when she was Secretary of State.

I made a mistake using a private e-mail.

He decided last July there'd be no prosecution,

Then, stunningly, he reopened his inquiry 11 days before polling.

It took guts for Director Comey to make the move that he made.

But if it's all about the way the FBI conducted

the Hillary Clinton investigation, why sack him now?

Why not do it when Donald Trump first came to office?

And how do you reconcile it with the praise heaped upon James Comey?

Whatever, it's left the FBI feeling very sore about the way

And into the Washington maelstrom who should arrive today

for his first visit to see the Trump administration than Sergey Lavrov,

the Russian Foreign Minister, in jokey mood.

He then went to meet Donald Trump at the White House, but curiously,

for the camera loving president, the press was kept away.

This feels like house of cards on steroids.

The White House deputy press secretary has been speaking -

here is what she said on the firing of James Comey.

The president over the last several months lost confidence in director

Komi, the Department of Justice left -- lost confidence in director Comey

and bipartisan members of Congress made it clear they had lost

confidence in director Comey. And most importantly the rank and file

of the FBI had lost confidence in their director.

Throughout the program we will talk to Democrats, Republicans and law

Opinion of the sacking falls largely on party lines.

Let's start with the Democrats who are apoplectic about this -

even though many had themselves called for Comey to go.

One of them is Senator Chris Van Hollen he tweeted this...

"The you're fired approach doesn't work when you're President.

@POTUS you're creating a crisis of confidence

I spoke to Senator Van Hollen a little while ago.

You did not especially like the way that James Comey treated Hillary

Clinton during the election campaign so why are you so upset about the

fact that he has been fired? There is no doubt there were concerns

about the way that Comey handled the Clinton investigation but it is

absolutely laughable to try to believe that Donald Trump fired

Comey because of his handling of the Clinton e-mail investigation went

right after the election Donald Trump praised Comey for that

investigation. If that were the case of course he could have fired Comey

his first day in office. The reality is the timing smells to high heaven,

Comey has been in the middle of an investigation into the collaboration

potentially between tram campaign and the Russians. Just yesterday the

issued grand jury subpoenas to some of Michael Flynn's associates. This

has been heating up and he gets fired, it looks like a blatant

attempt to interfere with an ongoing investigation. Are you suggesting

the FBI was getting too close to the Russian, Trump ties and that is why

Comey was fired? I'm suggesting that the fact that the investigation was

heating up and that they were pursuing it more vigorously than

they had been in fact it has just been reported that Comey asked for

additional resources from the Justice Department within the last

ten days to conduct the investigation and the guillotine

comes down on him. So I think this smells to high heaven. What does

this do to America's democratic institutions? I think it really

makes it more difficult for the United States of America first of

all to talk with moral authority around the world. Here at home we

are going to demand the appointment of a special prosecutor, that is the

only way we can restore any kind of faith and integrity in the process

to make sure someone can come in without being accountable, without

having to be fired by the Trump administration or their political

appointees. But in my view it makes it much more difficult for the

United States to ask the leaders of other countries to abide by the rule

of law, to respect the integrity of the judicial process. We've seen a

rise of authoritarianism around the world. And this hurts our efforts in

that respect, it does not help. Thank you very much.

Rajini Vaidyanathan has been on Capitol Hill, speaking

to the Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

He believes a fresh start at the bureau, was overdue.

We need new leadership in the FBI. It is strange that were wondering

about firing the guy when both parties at one time wanted him

removed. Did Russia have our part to play in the decision in your view?

Not according to the letter but let me tell you about Russia. Russia

interfered in our election, I want to punish Russia. I'm 100% convinced

that the interfered and try to undermine the 2016 election, that it

was Russia intelligence services that acted and changed the outcome,

creating discord and I want to punish Russia. I get to see any

evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians but

we need to keep looking until we can find out one way or the other. When

it comes to unmasking American citizens that were talking with

foreign agents or leaders, that information makes its way into the

press, I want to look at that as well. I want to do all things

Russia. You want to look at that many are saying, even some

Republicans, that the best way to have done that would be to keep

Comey in the role to continue the investigation because anyone who

follows him now will be an appointee of President Trump. You said that

the pleasure of the President. As the FBI director. You serve the

pleasure of the President. And the deputy Attorney General suggested

that we need new leadership. All I can say is that both parties, just

look at the record of what Democrats have said about Comey. I find it odd

that all of a sudden now he is removed, there is something wrong

with him being removed when everybody at different times have

called for him to be removed. What is important is to pick someone that

we all have confidence in. How much confidence do you have in President

Trump picking a replacement who will be able to hold the Russians to

account, or that investigation? I think we're going to hold Russia to

account in the Senate, the FBI is made up of professional people who

will do their job and if you think dismissing director Comey blend

investigation into Russia you are wrong. You need to look at all

things Russia and it is incumbent upon President Trump to pick

somebody that we all can rally around within reason. Let me say

this, it is possible to pick and FBI Director was just Republican votes,

I hope we can pick someone that will get democratic support as well.

And joining us now is former strategist

to President George W Bush - Ron Christie.

What is the mood in the White House? Pretty frantic. Last night when the

initial announcement was made in a frantic e-mail that said to all of

those going on television today please check with the White House

immediately. I thought that is interesting and then today there has

been a flurry of information as to why this was legal and proper, it

clearly seemed to be much on the defensive, the way it was unveiled.

You said it is the White House did not anticipate the blowback on this

but in some respects this present throughout his career has embraced

controversy. He thinks it is an asset for him. So perhaps he likes

all of this. In some secret way I think he loves the attention, loves

the fact that we're sitting in Washington and folks around the

world are watching us and talking about him. What he needs to

recognise, yes, was proper for him to fired the FBI director,

certainly. You serve at the pleasure of the President of the United

States. Your service could end much more quickly than you want. But

doing this now, it is going to be a bad week for him. Clive is in

London. Fire away. To be clear, and you made this point and the White

House is making the point, every president has the right to fired the

head of the FBI. Bill Clinton did it in 1993. But as you say it is the

optics, as a strategist, if you were had been advising President Trump,

which suggested that he do it now? Absolutely not. If you're going to

fired the FBI director, and have a clean sweep, a clean break from the

previous administration, you fire the US attorneys, around 90 of them,

that our political appointees, and the FBI director. But the FBI

director has a 10-year tenure so they do not get embroiled in

partisan conflict. What we have here is a partisan conflict, clearly the

President did not like what Comey had done and he made that decision.

The mistake is the fact that now the Democrats are going to call for a

special prosecutor and the White House will have weeks and weeks of

political fallout from this. Stay with us. Just to pick up on

something said earlier, the impact that this will have on the American

reputation around the world. I spoke with civil rights activists last

night from developing countries and they said they have always look to

America as a moral of Unite of how to do the rule of law properly and

they were surprised that this should happen in this country. The other

point they made was something mentioned earlier, they get that

this would empower autocrats around the world. Would give them if you

like a licence to act as the president has just done. The optics

letters they are not good in the US and clearly around the rest of the

worlds most are asking if this passes the smell test. What would

your own common sense say about this kind of issue. If the president is

suggesting he fired Comey because of the way he handled the investigation

into Hillary Clinton then did he believe that Comey was being too

soft on Hillary Clinton and in which case why did the President during

his campaign say, lock her up at every rally. If we believe that

Comey was being too soft on Hillary Clinton, then is he possibly now

going to reopen an investigation into Hillary Clinton and her

e-mails. It is all very murky indeed. Does exactly the questions

people are asking in Washington and especially about the investigation.

The Russians right on cue are in Washington.

Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov met President Trump this

And Mr Lavrov was full of praise for President Trump.

He said this was an administration full of action, though one suspects

he wasn't blessing the recent cruise missile attack on an

Anyway Mr Lavrov rejected allegations, Russia

TRANSLATION: Regarding this noise about our contacts, but fake

information according to which we are allegedly in control of the

domestic policy of the US. Yes it is an abnormal background for our

relations. I believe it is even humiliating for the American people

to think the Russian Federation is controlling the situation in

America. How can it be possible for such a great power and such a great

country, I believe some politicians are damaging the political system of

the US, trying to pretend someone is controlling America from the

outside. Sergei Lavrov being invited

to the Oval Office was rare - it's an honour usually reserved

for heads of state. Over the last few months we have

seen the relationship between Russia and the United States change

dramatically. Jonny Dymond is in Moscow

and explained how this meeting plays Just does one swallow doesn't make a

summer one meeting does not make a relationship. There's no doubt

people will want to know what comes out of this, people will try to

judge the mood music of it. But what you have here is two sides groping

their way, still, in his early days, towards a relationship. We know that

there was considerable excitement, even elation in Moscow at the

election of President Trump. We heard from President Trump about his

admiration for the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rex Tillerson the US

secretary of state was here in Moscow in April and had a long

meeting with Sergei Lavrov and with Vladimir Putin, a man he knew from

his old days as head of Exxon-Mobil. We heard almost nothing from those

meetings. So you have these two sides, a fair amount of talk about

the relationship but we're waiting for the meet, to see for example

will the US supported the Russian plan for de-escalation zones in

Syria. Will there be any movement on sanctions, will the two countries

confront Isis, a stated aim of both. We've heard the talk, we wait to see

what happens if and when there is the walk.

I'm joined now by Charles Kupchan the Former director

of European Affairs at the National Security Council

What did you make of Sevilla Blair-Brown and his meeting with

Donald Trump this morning and his fulsome praise of this

administration on this particular day? -- Sergei Lavrov. The timing of

strange in the sense that firing Comey the evening before you bring

Sergei Lavrov into the Oval Office just puts more and more light and

suspicion on this whole question of what went on between the Trump

campaign and Russia. But I do think that President Trump and Rex

Tillerson have in their DNA a desire to improve relations with Russia.

That is not necessarily a bad thing. The world would be a safer place if

the US and its allies got along with the Russians. But it is an uphill

battle. One because of Syria and because of Ukraine and also because

the political climate in this city right now, the knives are out on the

question of Russian interference in the American election. It is not a

situation in which it would be easy for Trump to reach out and make some

concessions to Putin. What do you think President Putin is making of

what is happening here in Washington at the moment, is this emboldening

him with his public showing that Russia somehow muddying the waters

in American politics? I think he really is doing two things. He is

just trying to create confusion and disruption because in the end of the

day he wants to weaken the West. Internally as well as

institutionally. Nato and the European Union, he's not doing a bad

job of that. Although in the recent French election we saw the tide

turning against the populists. I also think he wants to show that he

has leveraged, that he can stand up to the United States. One-on-one.

And build a strong relationship with the US president. But actually he is

making that harder because of the degree to which there is this world

going on in Washington about Russian interference, about hacking, about

collusion. Clive? It is curious, we had that press conference with Rex

Tillerson in Moscow not that long ago and it was incredibly frosty

standing next to Sergei Lavrov. Now we have Sergei Lavrov in Washington

cracking jokes, it is if the Syrian cruise missile attack launched by

President Trump never happened. It is all very odd and you know the

fact that Sergei Lavrov came here on the way to the Arctic meeting and he

had an Oval Office meeting, that says that something is going on and

that both Rex Tillerson and Trump want to try to reach out to the

Russians. I do think they're going to focus mostly on Syria, that is

where the low hanging fruit is and that is because Russia is in a

commanding position now that Alaba has fallen in the Syrian regime has

control of most of the populated areas of western Syria. The key

question I think that the Trump administration is are they going to

support this deal, is there when it comes to de-escalation, and the

situation just got more complicated yesterday because the United States

announced it is going to train and arm the Syrian Kurds and that is

going to strain relations with Turkey just before President Erdogan

arrives next week to see Mr Trump. I want to pick up on what Charles

was saying. The White House is going to give heavy arms to the Kurds, we

have the announcement of another 3000 American troops being sent to

Afghanistan. All this happening and totally overshadowed by a story in

Washington which really is of the White House's own choosing. It is

incredible. The reinsertion of US troops in Afghanistan is very

serious and significant. Arming the Kurds, very serious, but has serious

geo- strategic implications for the US and yet it is up their own

choosing, for a reason only President Trump knows, they decided

to take this action with the FBI director. The timing is bad, and

that will be the big sucking sound in this city, all the oxygen leaving

the room. Looking at President Trump and Comey when there are so many

other things going on around the globe. How does this all muck from

London? All looking very strange indeed. For instance the president

made it clear during the campaign that he was going to focus on

American politics, domestic issues. It seems to be wanting to engage now

further and further afield. Is this in order to take emphasis away from

what is going on at home? I think Frank retakes emphasis away from

what is not going on in Capitol Hill, the President came in and

thought he was going to have an easy time of getting his health care bill

through Congress. That has been derailed. He thought he would have

an easy time getting his tax package through to reduce taxes here in the

US and that is not going so well. I think what you're seeing is the use

of executive power in the one area where the president does not have to

go to Congress or negotiate and he can take these steps on his own. So

I anticipate that we will see a lot more foreign policy muscle from the

present of his domestic policy agenda is still derailed. Thank you.

South Korea has started a new politcal era as a new

Moon Jae-In has been sworn in as President.

His victory ends almost a decade of conservative rule.

The new president has promised to arrive in office and leave office

The Le Pen family has suffered another loss in France.

French far-right MP Marion Marechal-Le Pen has

decided to quit politics - her aunt was defeated in Sunday's

The niece of Marine Le Pen said she was leaving political life

She is one of the National Front's two deputies in the National

Assembly and had been seen by some as a future leader of the party.

You're watching 100 Days Plus from BBC News.

Still to come for viewers on the BBC News Channel and BBC World News -

we continue our look at Donald Trump's firing

of the FBI director Jim Comey and we'll hear form former

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales about the timing of this decision.

And we'll be looking at some other rocky moments in the recent

history of US politics - I was a correspondent in Washington

during the impeachment of Bill Clinton in 1998.

That's still to come on 100 Days Plus, from BBC News.

We promise beautiful sunny weather across most of the UK and that is

exactly what we had. Now it is all change, over the next they're so we

see cloud increasing, humility is going to go up and there is a risk

of thunder. All this warmth and humidity coming in from the south

and it could stick around into Saturday. In the short term it is

quiet, clear skies across the UK through this evening and overnight.

But the early hours of Thursday, we start to see that

humidity and even some showers creeping into southern parts of the

UK. There may already be the odd downpour across the South first

thing in the morning. But it will not be until later in the morning

and into the afternoon before some of the showers get heavy and they

will be very hit and miss. So first thing in the morning, there could be

the odd heavy shower or else little rainfall. Very difficult to

forecast. The basic message is that most of us and certainly most of

that, a great start to the state with a lot of sunshine. But again

Walkley, perhaps some rain and a lot cooler. Let's focus on the cloud and

humidity coming in from the south. By the time we get to lunchtime

onwards is when the threat of thunder increases. The showers will

be very few and far between, most of us will have a hazy and one day with

perhaps some spots of rain. Better further north. Then it looks like

Thursday evening into Friday, more substantial rain coming in from the

south. This could be sundry as well. Then Friday, the south-westerly wind

scooped up by the low pressure just keep on sending the cloud and

outbreaks of rain in our direction. So some rain around on Friday

morning across central areas, there could be thunderstorms through the

Midlands and further south. This is tricky to forecast and they will be

dotted around almost anywhere across the southern half of the UK. Heading

into Saturday, cloudy and wetter weather moving into northern parts

of England and Scotland. Then this weather front with fresh air behind

will move in the direction of the UK and by the time we get to Saturday I

think it is going to be fresher across most of the UK. Goodbye.

Welcome back in days. Donald Trump has fired James Comey saying he

hasn't done a good job. The timing of this smells to high heaven. He's

been investigating a potential collaboration between the Trump

campaign and the Russians. You heard it there. Many Democrats didn't like

James Comey that they don't like the argument that he was fired over the

way he handled Hillary Clinton's e-mails. And some Republicans agree

it looks a bit odd. We now speak to the Dean of Belmont University of

law. Judge Gonzales, what you make of the way in which James Comey has

been fired? If you are referring to the fact that he was on the west

Coast as the announcement was being made on the east, and found out by

receiving the news from the television, I think it was frankly

disappointing. Someone in that position, giving his long public

service deserved more. There are questions about the timing of the

firing and that is something we will have to work through. It was --

whether it was based upon interference in an investigation

into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, then if that is the case

it was totally improper. But if it is to do with what was in the letter

given to Donald Trump about his back catalogue of maladies, then that

could be except a ball. People in the department of justice are

unhappy about the way it was carried out. Isn't the perception of

reality, and the perception is that here is the guy heading the

investigation into Trump's campaign links with Russia and here he is

being fired? Many are asking whether this was away for the White House

stopped the investigation, and again, what I have tried to reassure

people that if that is a motivation, it will fail, if anything it raises

the stakes even higher. The FBI will find out, Congress and all the press

will find out. This is just too big an issue today, made even more

sensational by what happened yesterday and people are very

interested in learning exactly what, if anything, happened between the

Trump campaign and the Russian Government. I'm not aware of any

kind of collusion between the two of them but that was the purpose of the

investigation, to try and find out. What do you make up the way that the

role of the current Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, here was a

man who had had to excuse himself from the Russian investigation

because of things he didn't reveal jury in the investigation, but here

he is deciding the fate of the man leading that enquiry will? I'm not

sure what Jeff Sessionss involvement was with this. You would

probably get advice before participating, I don't know if he

had done that I assume he had. He still has some responsibilities

within his department and it's hard to differentiate between the two.

What would this do to the relationship between the FBI and the

White House? I'm not sure what it tells us. They may not be much of a

relationship, because the FBI reports to the department of

justice. There are limitations as to who can talk to who. The deputy

Attorney General, Soviet shouldn't be much of a relationship at all. --

so there shouldn't be. The White House briefing has just wrapped up

and we join our correspondent, Nick. Why was he really fired and why now?

Did the White House spokesperson answer either those questions? What

she said, Sarah Saunders, deputising for Sean Spicer on naval reserve

activities at the back end of this week, she said that the president

had been considering getting rid of James Comey from his first day in

office, and over time he gradually lost confidence in him, partly

because he had thrown a hand grenade into the FBI headquarters. She said

he committed atrocities. She didn't actually say what they were. They

are sticking to the reasoning in those letters, that it was over the

handling of the Hillary Clinton e-mail scandal and had nothing to do

with the investigation into Russian meddling and possible

collusion with Trump will stop why now? She said they wanted to give

him a chance but he carried on making missteps. One question she

was asked about was that did Trump direct Rosenstein to go away and

write a letter asking for a decision that had already been made. She

denied this. She said it was on the deputy's recommendation. We have our

correspondent now on Capitol Hill. A director at the FBI who is posted be

not political has become so politicised, and judging from the

people you been talking to on Capitol Hill, they are responding to

type over this sacking. It's like what one senator said to be earlier.

This feels like the election all over again. Let's start with the

mood among the Democratic senators. They are reeling. I have spoken to

several today who are really angry about the timing of this. They don't

tidy arguments from the White House and they are calling for a special

prosecutor to look into the Russia allegations. The Trump campaign

colluded with the Russians, they want that to be taken away from the

FBI so whoever is the replacement will be impartial to President

Trump. Interesting, when we have looked at the Republicans, even

people like Senator Lindsay Graham and Rand Paul, they have supported

Trump's decision to fire James Comey. They are saying that the

Democrats are being critical, because it was something that they

called for when Hillary Clinton's investigations were in into her

e-mails -- into her e-mails, that was something they called for.

Clyde, where you not hear for Bill Clinton's diplomatically eventful

presidency? Let's take a trip down to memory lane and have a look at

you all those years ago at the Democratic election. We should say

to America in a loud, clear voice, Senator John Kerry! The former

president is one of the star attractions of John Kerry's run for

presidency. How times have changed. They have, and my hair has changed

also. I was on shift when I found out about the firing of James Comey,

and now I feel that American politics is mixed up and crazy, and

that's part of the democracy. Things change all the time. It's not an

autocracy, a dictatorship. But I cast my mind back to 1998. Bill

Clinton's impeachment. He had to address the American people where he

talked about his sex life! There were conversations about the proper

use of a cigar. The proper meaning of the words is in depositions. It's

got crazier in American politics over this and what will be

interesting is what will happen after the firing of James Comey. Who

will be his replacement? That could potentially set the cat amongst the

pigeons, and the editor of the US magazine weekday, has suggested that

they may not be a quick replacement. The most important thing for

America's democratic institutions is who replaces James Comey, not the

fact that he has gone. They have to be seen to be independent. I'm glad

today that we don't have to talk about sex scandals. We are now going

to talk about Japan. I remember when we were reporting from Japan in the

1990s. Here is a report you did about auditions in Japan about

finding a girl group for British pop singers Shampoo. This girl will

indeed be a star. Her backers will see to that. Here on the streets of

Tokyo, there is constant pressure to satisfy demanding and wealthy

audience. Tomorrow, we look at auditions facing various strains.

BBC News, Tokyo. Bats and there! You haven't changed and I look 100 years

older. That's all from us.