HIRONO: So if the Attorney General or senior officials at the Department of Justice opposes a specific investigation, can they halt that FBI investigation? 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.
Bump. The NYT and the rest of the MSM can go get fucked.
Camden Long
Sure seems like he's talking about what's in the memo and saying it's not a big deal.
Noah Cook
Wow its almost like the memo story is BS, either its fake, or comey wrote misleading memo's to "leak" once he was fired.
Alexander Bell
On May 3rd, former FBI Director James Comey testified the following under oath. I can't imagine how he could have a memo from a Feb 14th meeting with Trump claiming otherwise. cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1705/03/wolf.02.html
Isaiah Murphy
So he's not only saying he's not been told to halt an investigation, at least not without an appropriate purpose, but also saying that he has been told that the executive *often* gives its opinion that there's no case and that they shouldn't waste resources on a particular investigation.
Very interesting on both counts.
Luis Garcia
James Comey was answering the exact questions, did the AG or DOJ ask him to halt the investigation. He said no.
How about the part where Trump himself asked to end the investigation? My guess only Trump would be stupid enough to ask something like that, for anyone else they're likely to be smart enough to know it's a career ending moment.
William Russell
I agree, he wasn't asked whether POTUS directly told him to stop something, and of course he didn't answer such a question. As a good federal agent he'd know better than to volunteer information without good reason. So it's entirely possible that his answer is meaningless in connection to Trump.
Jose Gutierrez
Also, Trump didn't order any halt, it was more like a favour he was asking Comey to end the investigation, he said "no" and well ended up firing him in retaliation. All things that point to attempted obstruction of justice.
Asher King
>You said the AG or the DoJ
> not the AG and the DOJ's boss
> Totally different.
Liam Reed
VERY PERCEPTIVE
Hudson Brooks
Seems stupid but that's how it works when you testify before Congress.
Owen Rogers
"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."
If it's a very big deal, he would have said something so someone if it had happened. This proves he is not credible or ethical.
Jason Hill
So you're saying Sessions was innocent?
John Butler
>I agree, he wasn't asked whether POTUS directly told him to stop something, and of course he didn't answer such a question. As a good federal agent he'd know better than to volunteer information without good reason. So it's entirely possible that his answer is meaningless in connection to Trump.
Yup James Comey didn't get top position of the FBI, if he wasn't smart enough to cover his own ass and choose his words carefully in any testimony.
Jayden Bennett
You're implying that word "hope" means a command, in which it does not. Even an insinuation, is not explicitly illegal
Carter Long
I bet there is a memo. But Comey never did anything about it because he didn't think there was anything wrong with what Trump said. Now that Comey is gone, others see the memo and interpret it differently. But the important thing is, the person who was there, the person who wrote the memo, didn't think there was any harm in what Trump said.
Evan Thomas
>HIRONO: So if the Attorney General or senior officials at the Department of Justice opposes a specific investigation, can they halt that FBI investigation? >COMEY: In theory yes. >HIRONO: Has it happened? >COMEY: Not in my experience.
I see your point OP but couldn't you just argue he was replying wrt the "attorney general or seniro officials..." and Trump doesn't fall under this umbrella term?
But yea he said them saying "don't look here because we don't think it's a big deal" is usually not a problem.
Joshua Thompson
That's not at all what he's saying. I'd say this damage control is desperate, but it's mostly hilarious
Ayden Rodriguez
Oh, that thing where he gave an evasive/not entirely candid response and people started reporting him to the state bar? Absolutely innocent.
Austin Taylor
>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.
so something that is 'a very big deal' happened and he ignored it until he was fired? No, where he said that he never spoke to Russians because the context was different, but he did speak to Russians. btw, I'm not claiming Comey lied under oath, I'm saying he was telling the trtuh
Colton Parker
Daily reminder:
Comey is a Clinton Foundation stooge
He also has a massive history of investigating corruption in the Clinton Foundation and related, and coming in and saying "there's not enough evidence".
He has clear conflict of interests.
Leo Hernandez
>No, where he said that he never spoke to Russians because the context was different, but he did speak to Russians. btw, I'm not claiming Comey lied under oath, I'm saying he was telling the trtuh
Yeah, I don't think that was perjury or anything like that. I don't think it was an amazing or perfectly candid answer, but it didn't rise to the level of perjury.
Xavier Allen
Congress asked for the memo, so I'm sure Comey will be called to testify about it. I guarantee he will say Trump didn't ask for the investigation to be halted, because that would implicate Comey.
Julian Bell
>If it's a very big deal, he would have said something so someone if it had happened. This proves he is not credible or ethical.
He chose his words very carefully. Notice "we were told". Comey chose his words very carefully. At no point did he commit perjury, he's too smart for that.
Although the president might have got word that Comey might've been asked to testify, "did the president ask you to halt the investigation" and that's why he got fired. Trump knew they were getting closer to getting Comey to testify to that and while still director, he wasn't giving it up willingly. Now Comey has nothing to lose, hence the daily leaks.
Adrian Rogers
Redpill: Comey going to say story false. Taken out of context. And same Trump and himself.
Aiden Kelly
I think it's very likely Comey will have to testify. I also think he's going to explain away his memo, and not to protect his own ass, but because it was genuinely nothing.
Lucas Evans
This. Comey is keeping quiet now and not clarifying for the same reason he refuses to tell the public that President Trump is not under investigation...he's a political hack.
Samuel Bell
Of course
Comey has done shady shit in his time in the FBI and the Clinton Foundation
The government knows it
Dylan Hall
In that leaf scenario, Comey is a bigger idiot for sitting on it and be complicit in said "obstruction of justice".
Cameron Green
"It's not happened in my experience."
- KEK
Parker Brooks
I am interested in seeing if anything comes of the other Comey memos requested by congress. It could lead to something related to the Clinton cover up.
Juan Anderson
>I am interested in seeing if anything comes of the other Comey memos requested by congress. It could lead to something related to the Clinton cover up.
One of the virtues of firing comey when he was out of the office, is that all of the notes etc need to be with the FBI HQ. He's not allowed to keep a private stashe of shit a home. It will be interesting to see what was doctored or fucked with, and how well his records were kept internally. The deep state shills were definitely caught offgaurd and it took them a week to plot out their next move--from tuesday to tuesday. That also suggests they are needing to co-ordinate with outside opposition and sympathisers. there will be a trail here...
Cameron Green
But the media has told me Trump is a fool who doesn't know what he's doing?
Grayson James
We all are forgetting "executive privilege"
Carter Long
Explain it then instead of calling it damage control. I genuinely want to know.
Ayden Russell
He is a boisterous fool with extremely limited experience. But, he's smart enough to surround himself with skilled advisors