James Comey Plays Fast And Loose With The Truth

 Former FBI Director James Comey's Blatant Contradictions, Reliance On Fake Evidence, And Misstatements Have Raised Questions And Prompted Criticism

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TOP TAKEAWAYS

• Reports that former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey felt his investigation was being impeded before being fired is contradicted by his previous testimony.
• Allegations that Comey was concerned about interference in the Russia investigation are also contradicted by other FBI employees and members of the intelligence community.
• Then-Director Comey used fake evidence to help justify closing the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton, and cited this evidence in a classified briefing with lawmakers without disclosing the fact that the evidence was untrue.
• Comey greatly misstated evidence and mangled facts that were central to his previous investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails.
• Before President Trump fired Comey, top Democrats said they had lost faith in Comey, with some saying he no longer was the best choice to lead the FBI.

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FBI DIRECTOR COMEY'S STORY ABOUT INTERFERENCE IN AN FBI INVESTIGATION IS CONTRADICTED BY HIS AND OTHERS TESTIMONY

Comey's Allegation Of Interference Is Seemingly Contradicted By His Prior Testimony, Acting Director McCabe's Testimony, And Others

On May 3, When Asked Whether Administration Officials Interfered With FBI Investigations, Then-FBI Director Comey Responded "Not In My Experience." SEN. MAZIE HIRONO (D-HI): "So, if the Attorney General or senior officials at the Department of Justice opposes a specific investigation, can they halt that FBI investigation?" FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY: "In theory yes." HIRONO: "Has it happened?" COMEY: "Not in my experience. Because it would be a big deal to tell the FBI to stop doing something that -- without an appropriate purpose. I mean where oftentimes they give us opinions that we don't see a case there and so you ought to stop investing resources in it. But I'm talking about a situation where we were told to stop something for a political reason, that would be a very big deal. It's not happened in my experience." (Committee On The Judiciary, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 05/03/17)

On Tuesday, May 9, President Trump Fired FBI Director Comey. "President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday [May 9], the White House said." (Allen Smith, "James Comey Fired As FBI Director," Business Insider , 05/09/17)

On May 11, Acting FBI Director McCabe Stated That, "There Has Been No Effort To Impede Our Investigations." SEN. MARCO RUBIO: "Mr. McCabe, can you, without going into the specifics of any investigation, I think the American people want to know, has the dismissal of Mr. Comey in any way impeded, interrupted, stopped, negatively impacted any of the work, any of the investigation or any ongoing projects at the Federal Bureau Of Investigations?" ACTING FBI DIRECTOR ANDREW MCCABE: "As you know Senator, the work of the FBI continues despite any changes in circumstance, any decisions, so there has been no been no effort to impede our investigations to date." (Committee On Intelligence, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 05/11/17)

On May 16, It Was Reported That After A February, 2017 Meeting With President Trump, Comey Drafted A Memo That Said The President Asked Him To Shut Down An FBI Investigation. "President Trump asked the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, to shut down the federal investigation into Mr. Trump's former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, in an Oval Office meeting in February, according to a memo Mr. Comey wrote shortly after the meeting." (Michael S. Schmidt, "Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him To End Flynn Investigation," The New York Times , 05/16/17)

On May 23, Former CIA Director John Brennan Said He Was Not Aware Of Any Members Of The Intelligence Community Who Felt Pressure From The Trump Administration To Drop The Investigation. REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to follow up on a comment that I made in the opening statement and that is, with respect to a number of the allegations that have been made recently that the president or his aids may have sought to enlist the help of members of the IC or Director Comey himself to drop the Flynn investigation? Have any members of the IC shared with you their concerns that the president was attempting to enlist the help of people within the intelligence community to drop the Flynn investigation?" JOHN BRENNAN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: "No, sir." SCHIFF: "Are you aware of any efforts the president has made to enlist the support of intelligence community personnel to push back on a narrative involving the collusion issue that Mr. Rooney was asking about?" BRENNAN: "I am unaware of it. " (Committee On Intelligence, U.S. House, Hearing, 5/23/17)

Comey's Seemingly Contradictory Positions On Interference Have Led Some People To Question Comey

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) Said The Biggest Question For Comey Is, "If You Knew Or Thought There Was Obstruction Of Justice, Why Didn't You Act On It?" NORAH O'DONNELL: "Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is also on the intelligence committee. Good morning." SEN. JOE MANCHIN: "Good morning." O'DONNELL: "What's the big question you have for the FBI Director?" SEN. MANCHIN: "The question asked by West Virginians is, if you knew or thought there was obstruction of justice, why didn't you act on it?" (CBS' "This Morning," 06/05/17)

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman Of The Senate Intelligence Committee, Said, "I Think Something As Material As That Probably Would Have Been Something He Would Have Shared, Had It Happened" Referring To Comey's Allegations. SEN. RICHARD BURR: "The director of the FBI shared more information with Mr. Warner and myself than any director has ever shared. I think something as material as that, probably would have been something he would have shared, had it happened." (Sen. Richard Burr, Remarks To PBS' News Hour , 05/16/17)

Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) Questioned The Allegations Of Interference Saying, "It Sort Of Begs A Bunch Of Questions About Why We're Learning Things Now In The Order That We're Learning Them." HUGH HEWITT: "Let me ask you about the testimony of which you were a part. He testified on May 3rd, and I reread that last night. There were at least two exchanges, one with Senator Leahy, one with Senator Coons, about special prosecutors where Mr. Comey could have brought up this meeting with the President. Would it have been appropriate for him to have brought up the existence of a memo detailing pressure from the President in the hearing at which you were a part?" SEN. SASSE: "Yes, it would have been appropriate. Again, it sort of begs a bunch of questions about why we're learning things now in the order that we're learning them." ( Sen. Sasse Interview With Hugh Hewitt, 05/17/17)

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) Stated, "If Director Comey In Any Way Thought That He Was Being Intimidated Or The President Was Trying To Interfere With The Investigation, I Believe That Director Comey Had An Obligation To Report That." REP. PETER KING: "If Director Comey in any way thought that he was being intimidated or the president was trying to interfere with the investigation, I believe that Director Comey had an obligation to report that - report it to the Justice Department, to tell those around him - because that could be considered a crime. As director of the FBI, he had an obligation to make that known. As far as I know, he didn't. In fact, when Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was testifying last week, he said there has been no interference and no obstruction of the investigation whatsoever. Also, Director Comey comes before the House Intelligence Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee. He had an obligation, I believe, to tell those committees because he was briefing us on the status of the investigation. I'm not aware of Director Comey ever saying to anyone in Congress - and I think Senator Burr concurred on this - about any interference in the investigation." ( Fox News' "America's Newsroom," 05/17/17)

Former Head Of The Office Of Independent Counsel, Bob Ray, Said, "If You Really Thought This Was An Effort To Obstruct Your Investigation, Why Didn't You Blow The Whistle On It? Why Didn't You Resign? Why Didn't You Report This To Congress?" "If he says he does believe the president was trying obstruct his investigation, it will raise questions about why he didn't speak out at the time, said Bob Ray, a former federal prosecutor who was head of the Office of the Independent Counsel during the Whitewater investigation of Bill and Hillary Clinton. 'The reasonable retort to that is, if you really thought this was an effort to obstruct your investigation, why didn't you blow the whistle on it? Why didn't you resign? Why didn't you report this to Congress?' Ray said." (Katie Bo Williams and Morgan Chalfant, "Five Things Lawmakers Want To Know From Comey," The Hill , 06/04/17)

COMEY ALLEGEDLY USED FAKE EVIDENCE THAT RESULTED IN THE CLOSING OF THE CLINTON EMAIL INVESTIGATION AND MISLED CONGRESS ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE EVIDENCE COLLECTED

One Lawmaker Said Comey Was "Incredibly Incompetent" If He Took Actions Based On An Email He Knew To Be Fake

Then-FBI Director Comey Used A "Critical Piece Of Information" That He Knew Was Fake When He Ended The Investigations Into Hillary Clinton's Emails. "Then-FBI Director James Comey knew that a critical piece of information relating to the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email was fake -- created by Russian intelligence -- but he feared that if it became public it would undermine the probe and the Justice Department itself, according to multiple officials with knowledge of the process. As a result, Comey acted unilaterally last summer to publicly declare the investigation over -- without consulting then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch -- while at the same time stating that Clinton had been 'extremely careless' in her handling of classified information. His press conference caused a firestorm of controversy and drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. The Washington Post reported Wednesday that this Russian intelligence was unreliable. US officials now tell CNN that Comey and FBI officials actually knew early on that this intelligence was indeed false." (Dana Bash, Shimon Prokupecz, and Gloria Borger, "Sources: Comey Acted On Russian Intelligence He Knew Was Fake," CNN , 05/26/17)

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Said That Comey Would Have Been "Incredibly Incompetent" If He Took Actions Based On An Email He Knew To Be Fake. "Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that former FBI Director James Comey would have been 'incredibly incompetent' if he took actions based on email he knew to be fake. Graham said in an interview on CNN's 'State of the Union' that Comey told the Senate and House select committees on intelligence about such an email, but never indicated it was fake. 'He talked to members of the Senate and House intel committee that he was sitting on emails that the Russians had between the Democratic Party and the Department of Justice that were highly explosive,' Graham said. 'He never once told a member of the House or the Senate that he thought the email was fake.'" (Eli Watkins, "Graham: It's 'Stunning' Comey Never Told Congress About Fake Email, CNN , 05/28/17)

Comey Conned Congress About The "Veracity Of The Intelligence" And Sources Claim He "Felt It Didn't Matter If The Information Was Accurate"

In A Classified Session With Members Of Congress, Comey Described The Evidence But Did Not Indicate That "There Were Doubts About The Veracity Of The Intelligence." "In classified sessions with members of Congress several months ago, Comey described those emails in the Russian claim and expressed his concern that this Russian information could 'drop' and that would undermine the Clinton investigation and the Justice Department in general, according to one government official. Still, Comey did not let on to lawmakers that there were doubts about the veracity of the intelligence, according to sources familiar with the briefings. It is unclear why Comey was not more forthcoming in a classified setting." (Dana Bash, Shimon Prokupecz, and Gloria Borger, "Sources: Comey Acted On Russian Intelligence He Knew Was Fake," CNN , 05/26/17)

• CNN Reported That Sources Close To Comey Said That He "Felt That It Didn't Matter If The Information Was Accurate." "Sources close to Comey tell CNN he felt that it didn't matter if the information was accurate, because his big fear was that if the Russians released the information publicly, there would be no way for law enforcement and intelligence officials to discredit it without burning intelligence sources and methods." (Dana Bash, Shimon Prokupecz, and Gloria Borger, "Sources: Comey Acted On Russian Intelligence He Knew Was Fake," CNN , 05/26/17)

COMEY GREATLY MISSTATED "KEY" FACTS RELATING TO HILLARY CLINTON'S EMAIL INVESTIGATION

Comey's Gross Inaccuracies During His Congressional Testimony "Severely Damaged" His Nonpartisan Reputation And Didn't "Help Him On The Competence Front"

Then-FBI Director Comey Told Congress That A Top Aide To Clinton Had "Sent Hundreds Of Thousands Of Emails To Her Husband's Laptop," Which Included Classified Information. "The FBI on Tuesday corrected the sworn testimony of Director James Comey, who last week told Congress that a top aide to Hillary Clinton had sent 'hundreds and thousands' of emails to her husband's laptop, including some with classified information." (Eric Tucker, "FBI Correct Comey Testimony On Clinton Aide Huma Abedin," The Associated Press , 05/10/17)

• In Fact, Only A "Small Number" Of Emails Were Sent To The Laptop. "In fact, the FBI said in a two-page letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, only 'a small number' of the thousands of emails found on the laptop had been forwarded there [to the laptop] while most had simply been backed up from electronic devices." (Eric Tucker, "FBI Correct Comey Testimony On Clinton Aide Huma Abedin," The Associated Press , 05/10/17)
• Of The Emails Sent To Her Husband, Anthony Weiner, "Only Two Email Chains Contained Classified Information." "However, only a 'small number' of the emails were forwarded by Abedin, the letter said, even though she 'commonly forwarded emails to others who would print documents for her.' Of those forwarded to Weiner, only two email chains contained classified information." (Jessica Estepa, "FBI: Director Comey's Testimony On Clinton Aide Was Inaccurate," USA Today , 05/09/17)

Comey's Misstatements Were "Key To Comey's Testimony, In That He Used Them To Defend His Decision To Disclose The New Clinton Emails" And Were Cited As "Proof Of The Seriousness Of The Email Discovery And The Need To Say Something." "To be clear, these weren't just small details that emerged from Comey's testimony on Wednesday; they were the headline for many new outlets that covered Comey's visit to the Senate Judiciary Committee, including The Post. They were also key to Comey's testimony, in that he used them to defend his decision to disclose the new Clinton emails just 11 days before Election Day. Facing questions from Democrats about why he did what he did, Comey cited these facts as proof of the seriousness of the email discovery and the need to say something." (Aaron Blake, "James Comey Just Stepped In It, Big Time," The Washington Post , 05/09/17)

Comey's Reputation As Nonpartisan Was "Severely Damaged." "Besides severely damaging Comey's nonpartisan reputation, here's why the number of emails of Weiner's computer matters: It risks undercutting the FBI's entire reason for notifying Congress 11 days before the election that it had found new information regarding its criminal probe of Clinton." (Amber Philips, "Why Does It Matter How Many Clinton Emails Were On Anthony Weiner's Computer?" The Washington Post , 05/09/17)

Getting Details "Of Such Import" Wrong During His Testimony "Doesn't Help Him On The Competence Front." "Getting details of such import wrong in his [Comey] much-watched testimony to Congress certainly doesn't help him on the competence front; indeed, it's difficult to see how he could get them so wrong." (Aaron Blake, "James Comey Just Stepped In It, Big Time," The Washington Post , 05/09/17)

MANY DEMOCRATS STRONGLY CRITICIZED COMEY FOR HIS POOR HANDLING OF PAST INVESTIGATIONS

Before President Trump Fired Comey, Top Democrats Said They Had Lost Faith In Comey, With Some Saying He Needed To Go

In November 2016, Senator Schumer Said He Has Lost Faith In Comey. "Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), the soon-to-be-top-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said on Wednesday that he's lost faith in James Comey following the FBI director's handling of newly discovered emails potentially related to Hillary Clinton. 'I do not have confidence in him any longer,' Schumer told Bloomberg News. He went on to call Comey's letter to members of Congress, which alerted them to the discovery of emails that may or may not be pertinent to the FBI's prior investigation into Clinton's private email server, 'appalling.'" (Sam Stein, "Chuck Schumer Says He's Lost Confidence In James Comey," HuffPost , 11/02/16)

House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi Said Comey May Not Be A Right Fit For The Job. "'Maybe he's not in the right job,' House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told CNN's Jamie Gangel. 'I think that we have to just get through this election and just see what the casualties are along the way.'" (Jessie Hellman, "Pelosi: Maybe Comey's 'Not In The Right Job,'" The Hill , 11/02/16)

Former Democrat Senate Leader Harry Reid Called On Comey To Resign. "'I am so disappointed in Comey. He has let the country down for partisan purposes. That's why I call him J. Edgar Hoover. Because I believe that,' Reid told MSNBC's Joy Reid on Saturday. Later asked if Comey should resign as FBI director, Reid replied, 'of course.' Reid also said that Comey should be investigated by the U.S. Senate and other security agencies of the government." (Jon Street, "Harry Reid Calls On FBI Director Comey To Resign Over CIA Russian Hacking Report," The Blaze , 12/10/16)

Sen. Kaine Called Comey's Actions During The Campaign One Of The "Lowest Moments In The History Of The FBI" And Compared Them To The Wiretapping Of Civil Rights Icon Martin Luther King, Jr. SENATOR TIM KAINE: "I'm just saying Director Comey testified this week and he made it very plain then that he broke the FBI rules with respect to the Clinton campaign and he chose not to break the rules with respect to the Trump campaign and that was a factor. There are many factors but I think it will go down as probably the lowest moment in the history of the FBI probably next to the decision of J. Edgar Hoover to wiretap Martin Luther King. It was unfortunate but we are all in our places with jobs to do and chief among those jobs is protecting the health care of all Americans." ( CNN's "New Day," 05/05/17)

Congresswoman Maxine Waters Said In January That James Comey "Has No Credibility." "'All I can tell you is the FBI director has no credibility. That's it,' Waters told reporters after leaving a Jan. 13 classified briefing on Russia's meddling in the 2016 election." (Veronica Stracqualursi and Adam Kelsey, "Democrats Cry Foul Over Comey Firing After Previously Calling For Him To Resign," ABC News , 05/11/17)

House Intel Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) Said In January About Comey, " There Are Profound Questions Raised About Whether The Director Can Restore The Credibility That Has Been Lost." "For his own part, Schiff said he 'didn't find [Comey's] argument very persuasive,' adding that Comey seemed to be 'very flexible' with his terminology in describing Clinton's case. 'The Clinton investigation seemed both open and closed at the same time,' Schiff said. 'So I don't think that distinction holds up.' While he stopped short of calling for Comey's resignation, Schiff said 'there are profound questions raised about whether the director can restore the credibility that has been lost' and that 'it's an open question' whether he could restore the credibility." (Karoun Demirjian, "Senate Intel Chiefs Promise Investigation Of Trump-Russia Ties As House Democrats Accuse FBI Director Of Stonewalling," Washington Post, 01/14/17)

Top Obama Adviser Valerie Jarrett Reportedly Urged President Obama To Fire Comey Before The Election Last Year. "In a last-minute effort to save Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House, Barack Obama's chief adviser, Valerie Jarrett, has urged the president to fire FBI Director James Comey, according to a source close to Jarrett. Obama and Jarrett are furious with Comey for reopening the FBI's investigation of Clinton's emails just 11 days before the presidential election. They blame Comey for Clinton's alarming slide in the polls." (Edward Klein, "Obama Aides Want Comey Out After Email Bombshell," New York Post , 11/02/16)

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