On Thursday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show,” former FBI Director James Comey stated that, as he understands it, Christopher Steele “was considered a reliable person by the FBI.”

Anchor Rachel Maddow asked, “Did the FBI have a relationship with Christopher Steele that you would consider to be a — one of trust, a useful relationship, a fruitful relationship with him?”

Comey answered, “All I’m permitted to say about that, as I understand it is, he was considered a reliable person by the FBI.”

Comey denied that the FBI started the investigation into the Trump campaign because of the Steele dossier.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett