By: Christopher Brennan and Adam Edelman
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Updated: Thursday, March 9, 2017, 2:38 PM
Federal investigators are still looking into an "odd" link between a computer at Trump Tower and a Russian bank, according to a report.
Unidentified sources close to the investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election told CNN that FBI officials have not dismissed evidence that a server for Moscow-based Alfa Bank repeatedly looked up contact info for a Trump Organization server.
There has been no reported that any sort of wrongdoing occurred or that the look ups led to actualy communication between Alfa and Trump, though the Alfa activity last summer has come under scrutiny again after Trump said that the Obama administration wiretapped Trump Tower.
Trump’s claim, made without evidence and refuted by Obama administration officials, has caused chaos on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers demanding to know what was behind the accusation.
News of the FBI continuing to consider evidence about the server also comes amid muddled statements about whether Trump himself is under federal investigation.
The FBI is currently looking into ties between members of Trump’s inner circle and Russia as part of a broader probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election that included hacking the Democratic National Committee.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Thursday that he was “not aware” that the President was the target of any probe, walking back his assertion on Wednesday that there was no reason to believe such an investigation existed.
His new line on the matter comes after an unnamed Justice Department official told The New York Times Thursday that nobody at the agency had told the White House that Trump is not under investigation.
The source replied “no comment” when asked whether Trump is currently under investigation.
Sources told CNN that there is currently no foreign surveillance warrant against the Trump server looked up repeatedly by the Russian bank.
Trump’s rationale for the wiretap claim is believed to be based in part on reporting from Trump-friendly website Breitbart, which cited a website called Heat Street to say that federal investigators were granted a foreign surveillance warrant in October related to the server.
FBI Director James Comey, who asked the Justice Department to refute Trump’s tweets, went to Capitol Hill and briefed the Gang of Eight, top Republicans and Democrats, about the wiretap claims.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on crime and terrorism, said Thursday he was open to subpoenaing intelligence agencies to get information about the accusations.
"All I can say is that the country needs an answer to this," Graham told CNN.
"The current President has accused the former President of basically wiretapping his campaign,” Graham added, before responding “yes” when he was asked if he would use subpoena powers to gather information.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday there was “no evidence” to support Trump’s wiretapping claims, but encouraged the ongoing Senate and House Intelligence Committee investigations to look into it.
Earlier in the day, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) urged Trump to simply apologize for the explosive accusations if he cannot provide any evidence.
“It deserves our attention because the President has raised a very serious accusation of criminal conduct by a former President," Merkley said on CNN.
Vice President Mike Pence, for his part, refused, late Wednesday, to even address the issue.
Pence was asked during an interview with a local Cleveland station WEWS-TV if he believed Trump’s claims, but mostly avoided the topic, saying only that the ongoing investigations in Congress would run their course.
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Trump bragged during his campaign that if he was elected President, he would "DRAIN THE SWAMP" and all his fans whistled, hooted, howled and clapped a roaring thunder, in approval. It's starting to look like if Trump isn't careful, "HE'S GONNA GET STUCK IN THE DRAIN PIPE"! The FBI are busy boys these days, tracking down the connection between Trump's corporate server and a Russian bank. Like one of my hillbilly cousins used to say,..."them boys ain't playin". Trump better know that he's not playing with rookies, the FBI will chew a chunk outta' his ass. They're as tenacious as a starved Pitbull on a T-Bone steak! Maybe all is not lost just yet, here in America. Maybe America's last and only salvation from Trump's dictatorship in the making, is our unsung, quiet heroes in Virginia. If this is the case, then May God Bless these men and women, who are the real heroes that are trying to preserve our democracy from corrupt powers in high places. Patriotic men and women who work everyday without any fanfare or adoring crowds filling a football stadium throwing roses or clapping a thunderous roar in tribute to them.
Granny Annie's Politic Cafe is gonna serve flame grilled, T-Bone Steak medium-well.
Granny Annie's Politic Cafe is gonna serve flame grilled, T-Bone Steak medium-well.
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