Top Democrats see 'no evidence' to back up Trump's spy claims

Top Democrats said they have seen “no evidence” to support President Donald Trump’s claim that the FBI planted a “spy” in his 2016 campaign.

Republican and Democratic leaders attended hearings with FBI and Justice Department officials on Thursday to review classified information related to Mr Trump’s claims. The president has repeatedly stated – without evidence – that the FBI placed a spy inside his campaign to aid his campaign rival, Hillary Clinton.

“Nothing we heard today has changed our view that there is no evidence to support any allegation that the FBI or any intelligence agency placed a spy in the Trump campaign or otherwise failed to follow appropriate procedures and protocols,” Adam Schiff, the House Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, told reporters after the hearings.

Mr Schiff, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer later released a joint statement saying there was "no evidence to support any allegation that the FBI or any intelligence agency placed a spy in the Trump campaign or otherwise failed to follow appropriate procedures and protocols”.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, one of the Republicans who attended the hearings, said he would not comment on a classified session. He added that he looked forward to the "prompt completion of the intelligence committee’s oversight work in this area”.

Mr Ryan, Mr Schiff, and top House Intelligence Committee member Devin Nunes attended the first hearing on Thursday. House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Trey Gowdy was also in attendance.

The second meeting was attended by the “Gang of Eight” – a group that includes House and Senate leaders from both parties, and top Democrats and Republicans on both intelligence committees. The second meeting was called after Democrats accused House Republicans and the White House of excluding them from the first.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein led the meetings. Emmet Flood – one of the White House lawyers handling the Russia investigation – and White House chief of staff John Kelly dropped by both meetings, but did not stay for long, according to senators present.

Mr Trump’s “spy” claims came after the New York Times reported that the FBI sent an informant to speak with members of his campaign during the election. The informant reportedly spoke with two campaign aides – George Papadopoulos and Carter Page – after the bureau found evidence that the Trump campaign had made suspicious contact with Russia.

“The spy was there early in the campaign and yet never reported Collusion with Russia, because there was no Collusion,” Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday. “He was only there to spy for political reasons and to help Crooked Hillary win - just like they did to Bernie Sanders, who got duped!”

James Clapper, the director of national intelligence during the election, has said the informant was not focusing on the Trump campaign, but on the activities of the Russians. Democrats have claimed Mr Trump's allegations are an attempt to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.