UH OH - James Comey Says FBI Russia Probe May Reach Donald Trump Personally

UH OH
James Comey Says FBI Russia Probe May Reach Donald Trump Personally

Former FBI director James Comey said that President Trump wasn’t himself under investigation. But that could change, Comey added, and fast.

ANDREW DESIDERIO
SPENCER ACKERMAN
06.08.17 11:25 AM ET

James Comey may have told the president he wasn’t personally under criminal investigation. Others high up in the FBI had a somewhat different opinion.

In testimony today before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the former director of the FBI undermined an early line of defense by Trump’s allies. Comey testified that while Trump was not himself under investigation, the functional head of the Russia inquiry was “reluctant” about Comey telling Trump that, since it misunderstood the nature of the counterintelligence inquiry – which could very well reach the president personally.

“If you’re looking at potential coordination between the campaign and Russia, the person at the head of the campaign is the candidate, so logically, this person argued, the candidate’s knowledge [and] understanding would logically become a part of your inquiry, if it proceeds,” Comey testified.

In contrast, Comey, whom Trump fired on May 9, said that former national security adviser Michael Flynn “was in real legal jeopardy. There was an open criminal investigation in his connection with Russian contacts,” Comey testified to the Senate intelligence committee, detailing pressure from Trump over the Russia question that led to the firing of the FBI director.

“I take the president at his word that I was fired because of the Russia investigation,” Comey said, saying he understood the Flynn entreaty as an order from the president.

Mostly, however, Comey did not take Trump at his word. He repeatedly called Trump a liar, and said he kept detailed notes of their interactions because he was concerned Trump would mischaracterize them. Once Trump ultimately fired Comey, whom he told Russian officials was a “nut job,” Comey revealed that he put something of a doomsday plan into effect.

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/james-comey-says-fbi-russia-probe-may-reach-donald-trump-personally