FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

1. FBI Director James Comey walking into hearing room

2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Thank you for hosting this conversation and for helping us all talk about an issue that I believe is the hardest issue I've confronted in government, which is how to balance the privacy we so treasure, that comes to us through the technology that we love. And also achieve public safety which we also all very much treasure."

3. Cutaway of hearing

4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES CUTAWAYS++

"Two terrorists in the name of ISIL killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at an office gathering, and left behind three phones - two of which, the cheaper models, they smashed beyond use, and the third was left locked. In any investigation that's done competently, the FBI would try to get access to that phone. It's important that it's a live ongoing terrorism investigation, but in any criminal investigation, a competent investigator would try and use all lawful tools to get access to that device. And that's what you see happening in San Bernardino. The San Bernardino case is about that case. It obviously highlights the broader issue and of course it will be looked upon by other judges and other litigants, but it is about the case."

5. Cutaway of hearing

6. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There are no demons in this debate. The companies are not evil. The government is not evil. You have a whole lot of good people who see the world through different lenses, who care about things - all care about the same things in my view. The companies care about public safety. The FBI cares about innovation and privacy. We devote our lives to trying to stop people from stealing our innovation, our secrets, and hacking into our devices. We care about the same things, which should make this in a way an easier conversation."

7. Cutaway of hearing

8. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Sure potentially, because any decision of a court about a matter is potentially useful to other courts, which is what a precedent is. I happen to think, having talked to experts, there are technical limitations to how useful this particular San Bernardino technique will be, given how the phones have changed. But sure, other courts, other prosecutors, other lawyers for companies, will look to that for guidance or to try and distinguish it."

9. Cutaway of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There's already a door on that iPhone. Essentially, we're asking Apple - take the vicious guard dog away. Let us try and pick the lock."

11. Cutaway of hearing

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049739

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049739

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

1. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Thank you for hosting this conversation and for helping us all talk about an issue that I believe is the hardest issue I've confronted in government, which is how to balance the privacy we so treasure, that comes to us through the technology that we love. And also achieve public safety which we all very much treasure."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Two terrorists in the name of ISIL killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at an office gathering, and left behind three phones - two of which, the cheaper models, they smashed beyond use, and the third was left locked. In any investigation that's done competently, the FBI would try to get access to that phone. It's important that it's a live ongoing terrorism investigation, but in any criminal investigation, a competent investigator would try and use all lawful tools to get access to that device."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There are no demons in this debate. The companies are not evil. The government is not evil. You have a whole lot of good people who see the world through different lenses, who care about things - all care about the same things in my view."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Sure potentially, because any decision of a court about a matter is potentially useful to other courts, which is what a precedent is. I happen to think, having talked to experts, there are technical limitations to how useful this particular San Bernardino technique will be, given how the phones have changed. But sure, other courts, other prosecutors, other lawyers for companies, will look to that for guidance or to try to distinguish it."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There's already a door on that iPhone. Essentially, we're asking Apple - take the vicious guard dog away. Let us try and pick the lock."

Congressional members criticized their peers for playing politics after the mass shooting in Orlando.

Others blamed the legislature's inaction on gun control laws, which they said, allowed one gunman to kill 49 people in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, says he wants to explore the potential for a system that would trigger an alert when someone who was previously on a terrorism watch list wants to buy a gun.

The congressional members spoke following a classified briefing with FBI Director James Comey and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Tuesday.

Congressional members criticized their peers for playing politics after the mass shooting in Orlando.

Others blamed the legislature's inaction on gun control laws, which they said, allowed one gunman to kill 49 people in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, says he wants to explore the potential for a system that would trigger an alert when someone who was previously on a terrorism watch list wants to buy a gun.

The congressional members spoke following a classified briefing with FBI Director James Comey and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Tuesday.

Washington - 14 June 2016

1. Cameras waiting in hallway

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Dave Jolly, (R) Florida:

"Shame on members of Congress who use a tragedy in Orlando to play politics and that's on both sides of the aisle and shame on candidates who do the same thing. So a members briefing that immediately turns into questions of partisanship is unfortunate for the American people so listen a tribute to law enforcement, they were doing the best they could in this case. This was someone who was intent on being a terrorist and, unfortunately, he achieved it."

3. Wide of people waiting in hallway

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Dave Jolly, (R) Florida:

"When both sides of the aisle fall back into their partisan trenches we get nothing done. It is as heartbreaking as what we've seen this past week to see people yelling, 'Shame' on the House floor, to see presidential candidates claiming credit or casting blame, to see Harry Reid blame Marco Rubio. This is what politicians do and it's disgusting. This is an American moment where we should not be Republicans or Democrats. We should solve this issue."

5. Jolly leaving

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Adam Schiff, (D) California

"One of the issues that was raised repeatedly during the briefing is the issue of whether someone who has been watch listed but has then been moved off the watch list should nonetheless be subject of a flag when they seek to purchase a weapon like an assault weapon. Such that the FBI could consider whether that warranted a reopening of the investigation."

7. Schiff leaving

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Alan Grayson, (D) Florida:

"The reason why we suffered the worst mass shooting in history is because it was possible for one person to kill so many people so quickly. He couldn't have done it with a boxcutter. He couldn't have done it with a rock. He had to have an automatic weapon to do it. That's what made this tragedy possible."

9. Homeland Security Secretary

10. SOUNDBITE Jeh Johnson, Homeland Security Secretary

"I think we had an informative session many questions about the impending investigation which the FBI director answered. It's important to remember it's still early, this is basically two and half days since the attack in Orlando. I suspect we will be back up here. I know we have a meeting tomorrow with the Senate. There will be opportunties to testify publicly."

11. Johnson leaving

Senior US national security officials say they are worried about the potential for violence at the Republican National Convention to be held in Cleveland next week.

During congressional testimony on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he's concerned that demonstrations outside the convention hall may get out of hand.

Johnson says he will be inspecting the security around the convention hall during a visit on Friday.

He says there are similar concerns about the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and he will be visiting that site next week.

Johnson told the House Homeland Security Committee there will be 4,000 U.S. government security personnel in Cleveland.

FBI Director James Comey added that anytime there is a large, national event there is concern that radical people and groups may be drawn to it.

Senior US national security officials say they are worried about the potential for violence at the Republican National Convention to be held in Cleveland next week.

During congressional testimony on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he's concerned that demonstrations outside the convention hall may get out of hand.

Johnson says he will be inspecting the security around the convention hall during a visit on Friday.

He says there are similar concerns about the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and he will be visiting that site next week.

Johnson told the House Homeland Security Committee there will be 4,000 U.S. government security personnel in Cleveland.

FBI Director James Comey added that anytime there is a large, national event there is concern that radical people and groups may be drawn to it.

Senior US national security officials say they are worried about the potential for violence at the Republican National Convention to be held in Cleveland next week.

During congressional testimony on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he's concerned that demonstrations outside the convention hall may get out of hand.

Johnson says he will be inspecting the security around the convention hall during a visit on Friday.

He says there are similar concerns about the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and he will be visiting that site next week.

Johnson told the House Homeland Security Committee there will be 4,000 U.S. government security personnel in Cleveland.

FBI Director James Comey added that anytime there is a large, national event there is concern that radical people and groups may be drawn to it.

POOL

Washington, DC - 14 July 2016

1. House of Representatives members taking seats at House Homeland Security Committee

2. Various of Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security; James Comey, FBI Director, and others sitting before house panel

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security:

"I am concerned about the prospect of demonstrations getting out of hand. I am concerned about the possibility of violence. We have within DHS (Department of Homeland Security) some 3,000 personnel that will be dedicated to the security of the Republican National Convention, and the Democratic National Convention each, consisting of Secret Service, TSA (Transportation Security Administration), Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection. NPPD (National Protection and Programs Directorate), Coast Guard. I know there will be at least another 1,000 or so US government personnel in both places, a number in Cleveland of the Ohio Guard, as well as probably thousands in terms of state and local law enforcement. We have been planning and preparing for both conventions for over a year, as I mentioned earlier. I plan to inspect the security at both sites, Cleveland tomorrow, and Philadelphia next Friday."

4. Various of of House panel

5. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director:

"So, anytime there's a national spotlight on a political event in the United States, there's a risk that groups that aspire to do just that - to engage in acts of domestic terrorism - will be attracted. It's a threat we're watching very, very carefully. It's the reason we have hundreds of people focused on intelligence and deployed to Cleveland. I don't want to talk about particular groups here, but there is a concern anytime there's an event like this that people from across a spectrum of radical groups will be attracted to it, so we're watching it very, very carefully."

6. Wide of Johnson, Comey and others sitting in front of House panel

California's top law enforcement official blasted his former congressional colleague, House Speaker Paul Ryan, on Friday for suggesting that a lack of political experience helps explain President Donald Trump's questionable interactions with James Comey when he was FBI director.

In an interview with The Associated Press, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra labeled Ryan an "accomplice" for defending what he termed Trump's incompetence or dereliction of his presidential duties. Becerra served in Congress prior to being appointed attorney general earlier this year.

"How dare you say it's a novice mistake?" Becerra said of comments by Ryan and others defending the president.

Becerra was referring to Trump's potentially illegal efforts to get Comey to drop the investigation into then-national security adviser Michael Flynn's interactions with Russian officials. Ryan said Thursday that Trump should be forgiven because he is "new at government" and "learning as he goes."

Becerra said ignorance of the law is not an acceptable excuse for Trump.

Ryan's spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, did not immediately respond to an email request seeking comment.

Becerra was appointed after former attorney general Kamala Harris, another vocal Trump critic, was elected to the U.S. Senate. He and other Democrats who control all major political offices in California have positioned the state as the front lines of resistance to many Trump administration policies.

Becerra said continued political theater in Washington won't stop California from enacting its own agenda on immigration, the environment and a host of other issues.

In a wide-ranging interview, Becerra also defended the death penalty, the state's cooperation with federal agents in fighting drugs and sex trafficking, and said he sees no sign yet of a federal crackdown on California's burgeoning recreational marijuana industry.

But he also promised to continue fighting Trump's agenda, bringing legal action and joining other states when necessary.

Becerra said he has tried to engage with the Trump administration without much success. His efforts to meet with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly for more clarity on their plans to enforce federal immigration law have gone unmet despite multiple requests, Becerra said.

Meanwhile, California's Legislature is considering making California a "sanctuary state" by limiting how much state and local law enforcement officers may collaborate with the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts, as well as bills to make it harder for immigration authorities to raid businesses.

But even as state legislators work to resist federal enforcement, Becerra suggested there's room for collaboration between state officials and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, from sex trafficking to cracking down on illegal drug flow.

"I'm not trying to thwart ICE from doing its work, they're doing some really important stuff and we're doing some really important stuff with them," Becerra said. "And so it just helps to have some clarity and predictability."

On other topics, Becerra said:

— California could file climate-related lawsuits, but it will depend on what actions the Trump administration takes.

"We're going to continue to do what we've been doing," he said. "If someone wants to try to stop us, then they're probably going to run into me."

He pointed to his efforts to defend California's energy efficiency and emissions standards.

He said he has received no response from the Freedom of Information Act request he filed two months ago seeking documents he said could show conflicts of interest and ethics violations by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Pruitt had sued his new agency multiple times while he was attorney general of Oklahoma.

— Becerra defended the death penalty as constitutional, but stressed that officials need to be "cautious." There are "too many cases" of people wrongfully sentenced to death row, he said.

— Becerra said he doesn't think the federal government will make a "comprehensive effort" to crack down on recreational marijuana industries in states like California that have legalized the drug.

"My sense is that they know that if they try to do something on a large scale then they're going to run into a real juggernaut against them," he said.

He added that he would defend California's marijuana industry if the federal government does try to crack down.

Sacramento - June 9, 2017

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Xavier Becerra, California Attorney General

"I would let prosecutors who dealt with this day in and day out pontificate on that. I will tell you to hear the director of the FBI with some pretty definitive clarity say that the president either lied or misrepresented what had gone on that takes you into an area that you rarely see, certainly from communications and activities involving the president. When you also find out that the actions by the president have consequences, not just for the investigation on the role that Russia played, but also in a potential cover-up -- you're in obstruction of justice territory. Can you prove all the elements of the obstruction of justice charge? We are only at the beginning of this investigation and already this much information has come out. Would anyone have said weeks into this investigation of Watergate that we would have discovered as much as we ultimately did? My sense was that this was a deep pool and Mueller hasn't even jumped into the water yet."

REPORTER: "What do you make of Speaker Ryan's response was essentially along the lines of 'well he's new at this.' The president's new at this he didn't really know what he was doing'? I wonder just what your take is ont he response."

"My immediate reaction was... hmm... is this the guy who's got his finger on the nuclear button as well and is that an excuse you said you would give to someone who runs for president who would have his hand on the nuclear button that he's still a new guy. Cut him some slack. I don't get it. I think it speaks volumes more about those who are defending Donald Trump more than Donald Trump. How dare you say that 'ah it's a novice mistake'? You are the president of the United States. This is not one of those those things where you can just say 'oops. I forgot to pay the bill, or sorry hundreds... thousands of kids aren't going to get their head start, oops I didn't realize that we're not supposed to interfere in some other country's affairs.' You go through the whole process of the campaign and you're ready to be president of the United States. For someone to try to defend the -- not incompetence -- than the dereliction of the president, in my book you're an accomplice."

REPORTER: "What would it take... you said a couple weeks ago at the convention that you were near impeachment territory. What do you think it would take for Speaker Ryan, your former Republican colleague in Congress to get there themselves?"

"Well, after yesterday's comments by Speaker Ryan, himself, I'm not sure if he's willing to excuse the potential for obstruction of justice, what else might they be willing to excuse? High crimes and misdemeanors can mean many things. I would belive that obstruction of justice would fit into that category. There are a lot of other things that would fit within that category as well. As Republicans demonstrated, they were willing to go that route in the late 1990's. If you did someone for not being totally candid about their definition of 'is' and what you did in terms of their personal life, then you should be willing to want to investigate what someone did with potential collusion with Russia and someone trying to potentially undermine our democratic elections."