SALT LAKE CITY — Rep. Chris Stewart says former FBI Director James Comey didn't bring any clarity to the controversies swirling around President Donald Trump during his testimony before a Senate panel Thursday.

The Utah Republican said Comey's answers to questions at times sounded "self-serving."

"I would say the most significant thing was there wasn't a significant thing," said Stewart, who has heard from Comey four or five times in closed and open House Intelligence Committee hearings.

"I can't imagine a question that we haven't already asked Director Comey," he said. "We've probed and prodded this thing every possible way."

In his highly anticipated appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Comey testified that he felt Trump directed him to drop the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. He said there's no doubt the Russians interfered in the 2016 election but wouldn't say whether he thought Trump colluded with Russia.

Comey also said he felt he needed to document his meetings with Trump because he was concerned the president would lie about the nature of the conversations.

Stewart said that is part of the reason he has grown frustrated with Comey the past six months after defending him for several years.

"It seems to me like it's self-serving," he said, adding that Comey sounded like someone who's angry over being fired and trying to justify it.

"It's a little bit like, 'Well, yeah, I was fired as FBI director, but Donald Trump was a liar, and I knew he was a liar and I had to take memos on it,'" Stewart said. "It just seems a little bit contrived to me now looking back in hindsight."

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, agreed that Comey's testimony revealed little new information. He said he appreciated Comey's willingness to testify.

"True to form, he was honest and straightforward in all of his responses," Hatch said. "I respect Director Comey and look forward to confirming his successor, Christopher Wray, so that the FBI can continue its important mission of protecting the American people."

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Takeaways from Comey’s testimony before Senate Intelligence Committee

Former FBI Director James Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee Thursday to address his interactions with President Donald Trump and an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Trump on Wednesday nominated Wray, a former federal prosecutor and deputy U.S. attorney general, to replace Comey.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said there's a reason Robert Mueller, the former FBI director appointed by the Justice Department to oversee the investigation into ties between Trump’s campaign and Russian officials, let Comey appear before the Senate committee.

"The fact that Mueller allowed Comey to testify strongly suggests Mueller doesn't think there is enough evidence to support an obstruction of justice case," Lee said, adding he looks forward to Mueller's final report.

Kirk Jowers, former head of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, said Comey's testimony didn't produce a smoking gun for the Democrats to take Trump out, but "boy, there's a lot there."

"And with the special investigation going on, this is a real potential turning point for President Trump," Jowers said on KSL Newsradio's "The Doug Wright Show."

At times, Comey wanted to take his shot but also keep up the image of the "honest G-man who just looks at the facts," Jowers said. Comey lost that image a little, he said, but many of his answers were reasonable, credible and "unnerving."

"And knowing how President Trump is, they ring very true," Jowers said.

Stewart said Republicans are from Mars and Democrats are from Venus on the issue and will draw different conclusions from Comey's testimony. Democrats will say there was enough to show Trump isn't trustworthy and there was intent to interfere with the investigation, while Republicans will say Comey didn't feel pressure to end the probe and that Trump didn't interfere, he said.

"I guess there's a little bit for everyone, but that actually is frustrating to me because I don't think it brought much clarity for people," Stewart said.

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