Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Comey Testimony Update:

Comey's prepared remarks have been released. What appears to be important is that Comey will suggest:

  • That Trump's statement about "letting it go" was specific to General Flynn and specific to whatever investigation was associated with Flynn.
  • That he did not feel that Trump was not asking or pressuring him in regards to the overall investigation into Russian collusion.
  • That Trump had said that if there were associates of his that did anything wrong, that it would be good to get that out.
  • That Comey had (in fact) told Trump (more than once) that he was not under personal investigation and that Trump had asked him if there was a way to "get that out" because it was creating "a cloud" that made it difficult for him to govern. The so called "cloud" also included the dossier regarding hotel rooms, hookers, etc... and Trump wanted it made clear that these allegations were false.  

So again... none of this is new. The only real allegation is that he felt Trump was pressuring him to drop the investigation on Mike Flynn. While one could make a fairly lame case that this is obstruction... I don't think it's the obstruction (of the Russian investigation in general) that has been played in the media.

Moreover, the "Cloud" was not the investigation (as has been assumed) but rather specific allegations about him, including the now infamous dossier. This seems to put a dent in the whole idea that he fired Comey to stop the investigation. 

If anything, his statement about believing it would be "good do know" if his associates were doing anything wrong, also flies in the face that he was attempting to shut down the larger investigation as a whole.

Comey also spends a lot of time (more than seems natural) justifying his decision "not" to talk to the AG about the conversation regard General Flynn. Comey seems to be suggesting that there wouldn't be enough evidence (based on a non-monitored one on one conversation) to bring it up.  I think that misses the larger point that he is obligated to tell the AG if he feels there is obstruction, not just if he felt he could prove obstruction. A close evaluation of this explanation makes it appears very tortured, and manufactured after the fact. This will simply add to the "credibility" issue for Comey. 

Bottom Line: I am sure that the goalposts will now move... and the concept that he felt bad for General Flynn and hoped that he wasn't facing criminal prosecution will be the "new" horrible crime of the century that is right up there with Watergate... but I doubt that argument can be made with a straight face. 


19 comments:

KD, Will Comey Cry? said...

WP/CHT Rule in effect.


James, IF this is all he says, are you satisfied?

opie said...

This is going to be a fun day to watch trump squirm. Seems James is going to tell all....and my guess the liar in chief ain't going to like it. I was surprised at little Marco, he really seemed like he was acting like a real senator, and not a sycophant like Cronyn. Maybe we will see some more of that tomorrow as some may pile on seeing the blood in the water. Oh well, as the WSJ said, trump is his own worst enemy. Merry Fitzmas.

Loretta said...

This was a bad day for those who want Trump thrown out of office....

opie said...

Another nail in the trump coffin. And BTW, it was a very good day for the anti trumpites. The boys have a lot more to say in the closed session to which will take some time to leak out. But it will come out donnie the boy asked them to try and stop the flynn stuff, which happened and wasn't denied by the fearsome 4.

james said...

The so called "cloud" also included the dossier regarding hotel rooms, hookers, etc... and Trump wanted it made clear that these allegations were false.  

Or rather feared that it would become obvious they were true?*

AND that he had tried to obstruct justice.
_________
*At one point, the Russians seemed to be confident they had considerable "dirt" on him.

Hmmmm. What will we find out?

Loretta said...

Obnoxious troll

Loretta said...

Today the heads of the three major intelligence agencies testified, under oath. All three felt NO pressure from anyone, including the President, to obstruct justice.

Tomorrow Comey will admit the same. After Comey informs Congress that Trump did not try to obstruct justice and the multiple investigations into Russian/Trump collusion come up empty the real investigation will begin. It will show the Democrats, especially the Obama administration, illegally conducted surveillance on political opponents, the Supreme Court Chief Justice and other civilians.

If you think the libs have their hair on fire now, just wait. They'll be fighting for their lives!


james said...

Newsweek
Trump and Comey Talked Russian 'Hookers' and 'Golden Shower' Scandal
By Jason Le Miere On 6/7/17 at 2:50 PM

President Donald Trump repeatedly asked then-FBI Director James Comey to drop an investigation into his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and to pledge his allegiance. He also brought up the subject of Russian “hookers.”

“He said he had nothing to do with Russia, had not been involved with hookers in Russia, and had always assumed he was being recorded when in Russia,” read just one startling section of Comey’s opening statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee, released Wednesday.

The comments allegedly came in a March 30 phone call Trump placed to Comey as he described the “cloud” that he said was impeding his ability to lead the country. The conversation took place two-and-a-half months after classified documents were presented to then-President Barack Obama and President-elect Trump featuring allegations that Russian operatives had highly compromising information on the Republican.

The report was based on memos from former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, who once served in Moscow, on a report into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The veracity of the memos was not verified but quickly gained the title the “golden shower memos” because of one particularly salacious detail contained within them.

They describe videos taken of Trump in a Moscow hotel room in 2013 together with Russian prostitutes. And not just together with them but “employing a number of prostitutes to perform a ‘golden showers’ [urination] show in front of him," according to the memos.

And it didn’t end there. The act occurred in the presidential suite of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where Trump was said to be aware that the president and first lady Michelle Obama had stayed on one of their official trips to Russia.

The “[perverted] conduct” was said to be a deliberate act of “defiling” the bed on which the Obamas had slept.
Video of the incident was collected by Russian authorities, it is alleged, in order to obtain “kompromat,” or compromising material, in order to blackmail Trump down the line.

As well as the salacious details, the memos also contained allegations of deals struck with Russian officials that could constitute bribes as well as several meetings with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign.

In his first press conference as president-elect, Trump denied the allegations, particularly referencing the “golden showers” episode.
“I'm also very much of a germaphobe, by the way. Believe me,” he said.
________________
Believe me, he says "believe me" so much that I have trouble ever believing him.

james said...

When I first heard about the above, I was certain it could not be true.

That was then. Now is now. Now I'm not so sure.

opie said...


If you think the libs have their hair on fire now, just wait. They'll be fighting for their lives!

Going to be a hoot to watch!!!!! And people like you loretta who missed what those guys avoided, will be greatly shocked how Comey ain't gonna take it anymore and your liar in chief squirms like you when excited. LOLOL

Loretta said...

Obnoxious troll

opie said...


Fun to get a rise out of you loretta, it is sooooo easy. LOL

Loretta said...

Trump was right... no connection between Trump and Russia.

None even from FBI director, case closed.

opie said...

Trump was right... no connection between Trump and Russia.


They ain't done yet, Loretta.....trump has millions of dollars of loans from russians. so saying there is no connection just proves how naive you are to facts.

Loretta said...

Always love it when trolls admit that they're trolling.

james said...

For fellow truth seekers:

Comey statement excerpt:
During the dinner, the President returned to the salacious material I had briefed him about on January 6, and, as he had done previously, expressed his disgust for the allegations and strongly denied them. He said he was considering ordering me to investigate the alleged incident to prove it didn’t happen. I replied that he should give that careful thought because it might create a narrative that we were investigating him personally, which we weren’t, and because it was very difficult to prove a negative. He said he would think about it and asked me to think about it.

Comey statement excerpt:
March 30 phone call
On the morning of March 30, the President called me at the FBI. He described the Russia investigation as “a cloud” that was impairing his ability to act on behalf of the country. He said he had nothing to do with Russia, had not been involved with hookers in Russia, and had always assumed he was being recorded when in Russia. He asked what we could do to “lift the cloud.” I responded that we were investigating the matter as quickly as we could, and that there would be great benefit, if we didn’t find anything, to our having done the work well. He agreed, but then re-emphasized the problems this was causing him.

Then the President asked why there had been a congressional hearing about Russia the previous week – at which I had, as the Department of Justice directed, confirmed the investigation into possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. I explained the demands from the leadership of both parties in Congress for more information, and that Senator Grassley had even held up the confirmation of the Deputy Attorney General until we briefed him in detail on the investigation. I explained that we had briefed the leadership of Congress on exactly which individuals we were investigating and that we had told those Congressional leaders that we were not personally investigating President Trump. I reminded him I had previously told him that. He repeatedly told me, “We need to get that fact out.” (I did not tell the President that the FBI and the Department of Justice had been reluctant to make public statements that we did not have an open case on President Trump for a number of reasons, most importantly because it would create a duty to correct, should that change.)

Loretta said...

Trump was right again, troll.

james said...

http://elitedaily.com/news/politics/comey-discuss-report-involving-trump-hookers-russia-congress/1987106/

It could get very, very innnnnteeresting.

Loretta said...

Spam.