The Iceman Comey-eth

Former FBI Director James Comey skipped his prepared opening remarks that were released yesterday and went right into his professional opinion on the situation he found himself in with Donald Trump.  That opinion is that he believes the man in the Oval Office is a complete liar.

Comey said he was baffled and concerned by Trump’s assertion on television that he had fired the former FBI director because of the Russia investigation, as well as the initial excuse from the administration that Trump had fired Comey due to his botched handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails. 

“That didn’t make any sense to me,” Comey said. “And although the law required no reason at all to fire an FBI director, the administration then chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI by saying that the organization was in disarray, that it was poorly led, that the workforce had lost confidence in its leader. Those were lies, plain and simple. And I am so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them, and I am so sorry that the American people were told them.” 

Comey is widely respected for his efforts to remain above the political fray. For a man in that position, these are simply incredible allegations. 

Comey went on to try to assure the American public that the FBI is a good organization that will remain independent, under Trump and after. 

The FBI’s “mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States,” Comey said. “I will deeply miss being part of that mission. But this organization and its mission will go on long beyond me and long beyond any particular administration.” 

He added, “I have a message before I close for my former colleagues of the FBI. But, first, I want the American people to know this truth: The FBI is honest. The FBI is strong. And the FBI is and always will be independent. And now to my former colleagues, if I may: I am so sorry that I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to you properly. It was the honor of my life to serve beside you, to be part of the FBI family, and I will miss it for the rest of my life. Thank you for standing watch, thank you for doing so much good for this country. Do that good as long as ever you can.”

It got significantly worse for the White House from there.

Former FBI director James B. Comey said Thursday he helped reveal details of his private conversations with President Trump because he thought doing so would spur the appointment of a special counsel to investigate the administration — a remarkable admission showing the degree of concern he had about both Russian interference with U.S. politics and his doubts about the Justice Department’s ability to probe such activity. 

Testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Comey described how details of his private memos about his one-on-one conversations came to light shortly after his dismissal. 

“The president tweeted on Friday after I got fired that I’d better hope there are not tapes,” Comey said. He said he woke up on Monday thinking that if there are tapes, there might be corroboration of Comey’s account. Comey said he asked “a friend of mine to share” a memo he had written about his conversation with Trump “with a reporter.” 

Comey said the memo was one he had written about his Oval Office conversation with Trump in which the president had expressed a desire that the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn be dropped. 

He said the person he asked to share the information was “a good friend of mine” who is a professor at Columbia Law School. “I thought it might prompt the appointment of a special counsel.” 

Asked by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) why he felt he had the authority to do that, Comey replied: “As a private citizen, I felt free to share that. I thought it was very important to get it out.” 

Comey said he used someone else to share the information because he was worried, with reporters camped out at his home, that giving the information to a reporter directly “would be like feeding seagulls at the beach.’’

The friend is Daniel Richman, a former federal prosecutor who confirmed his role but declined further comment. The reporter is Michael Schmidt of the New York Times, who declined to comment.

In other words, Comey leaked his own memos on purpose to stop Trump, because he knew that Trump was lying and attempting obstruction of justice.

After three hours, Comey entered into second,closed session testifying involving classified information.  At several points when asked about additional members of the Trump regime, mainly former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Comey deferred his answers to the closed session, which cannot be good for the prospects of either men.

Comey also said that in his professional opinion he was "sure" that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the Trump campaign and Russia involved obstruction of justice.  Comey did say at the time before his firing that Trump wasn't under investigation.  He all but confirmed that today Trump is facing such an investigation by Mueller, as is Flynn, Paul Manafort, and probably AG Jeff Sessions.

The Trump Regime is in trouble, and badly so.  Comey will help see to that. He flat-out said that he believed he was fired over the Russia investigation and Mike Flynn, period.  What Congress chooses to do with that information, and what voters choose to do as a result, we shall see.