His memos are self-serving and fake: Trump fires James Comey over memoir

Former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by US President Donald Trump last year, will release his highly anticipated memoir on Tuesday. Some US media organizations have already been reporting excerpts from the book.

"A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership", comes almost a year after Comey's dismissal, which raised questions about whether Trump tried to interfere with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into Russia's alleged meddling with the US presidential election.

Russia denies any interference, and Trump has denied collusion with Russia and interfering with the investigation.

In addition to reflections on Comey's interactions with Trump last year, the book will feature anecdotes from his role in leading an investigation into the use of a private email server by Democrat Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.

Comey's announcement that the FBI was reopening the Clinton email investigation days before the November election led to accusations by some Democrats that he was unfairly influencing the outcome. The FBI eventually closed the probe without taking any action.

Comey said his assumption that Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 presidential election was a factor in opening an inquiry into her emails, according to part of an ABC interview broadcast on Saturday.

The controversy involved Clinton’s use of a private email server for official correspondence when she was secretary of state under then-President Barack Obama, including for messages that were later determined to contain classified information.

Although the FBI ultimately decided not to refer Clinton’s case for prosecution, Democrats said Comey’s announcement damaged her with voters right before the election, and he faced complaints that his moves were politically motivated.

"I don’t remember consciously thinking about that, but it must have been because I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump, and so I’m sure that it was a factor,” Comey said in an excerpt of an interview aired on Saturday.

"I don’t remember spelling it out, but it had to have been, that she’s going to be elected president and if I hide this from the American people, she’ll be illegitimate the moment she’s elected, the moment this comes out," Comey added.

Trump, who criticized Comey repeatedly before and after he fired him, denounced him on Twitter on Friday: "James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR," he said.

"I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His "memos" are self-serving and FAKE!" Trump tweeted.

Trump fired Comey last May, setting off a firestorm, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing possible connections between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the American elections.