FBI's acting director becomes star Senate hearing witness amid Comey fallout

The Acting Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday in a hearing on "World Wide Threats."

The hearing featured testimony from six witness, including Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, and NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers. They were asked to provide a "comprehensive overview of the current and projected national security threats to the United States and our national interests."

The hearing came amid drama over President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, which made McCabe the FBI's acting director - and the Senate's star witness.

"Mr. McCabe: While we don't know how long you will be acting as FBI Director, my first questions for you, even in this public setting, will be for you to assure the Committee that if you come under any political influence from the White House or others to squash this investigation, or impede it in any way, that you will let this Committee know," Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the vice chairman of the committee, said in his opening statement.

Warner condemned Comey's "shocking" firing, the timing of which he called "especially troubling."

"He was leading an active counterintelligence investigation into any links between the Trump campaign and the Russian government or its representatives, and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts to interfere in our election," Warner said. "For many people, including myself, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the President's decision to remove Director Comey was related to this investigation. And that is unacceptable."

This is a developing story.