Former FBI director James Comey set a “harmful instance” and acted out of self-interest when he leaked memos documenting non-public conferences with President Donald Trump to the media, a scathing new DOJ report concludes.
Comey violated each the FBI insurance policies and his personal employment settlement when he leaked delicate details about Trump to the New York Occasions, in response to DOJ Inspector Normal Michael Horowitz’s report, launched Thursday.
Regardless of the clear findings of wrongdoing, nonetheless, the previous FBI director will face no prosecution for the mishandling of memos.
Comey’s memos detailed his non-public interactions with Trump, together with a declare that the president requested him to “let go” of an investigation into his former nationwide safety advisor, Michael Flynn.
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The data leaked by Comey was enthusiastically cited within the media as proof of “collusion” between the 2016 Trump marketing campaign and Russia — a story which Comey helped to advertise whereas steadily lecturing Individuals on morality and justice following his firing.
Comey admitted in 2017 that he gave delicate however unclassified info to a buddy with directions for that individual to share it with a reporter. He additionally admitted that he did this with the intention of making certain Trump could be investigated — a ploy which was profitable, as former particular counsel Robert Mueller was drafted to research claims of Russian “collusion” quickly after.
Claims of collusion had been deflated by the discharge of the Mueller report in April 2019, after a two-year-long investigation.
James Comey vs. Actuality pic.twitter.com/Ce5pqg4gjz
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) August 29, 2019
The previous FBI director has maintained a holier-than-thou angle, nonetheless, claiming he solely ever acted within the pursuits of the nation, not himself. The brand new DOJ report begs to vary, concluding that he acted to “obtain a personally desired end result.”
The DOJ report additionally panned Comey for having saved copies of some memos in a private secure at his dwelling, even after he was fired, once more violating FBI coverage which might have required him to “search authorization” to retain them. He additionally offered copies of some memos to his three non-public attorneys, once more with out approval.
Why, then, will there be no prosecution for the previous FBI director?
Horowitz referred Comey’s case to the DOJ earlier this month, however the division determined to not carry costs, reportedly as a result of they felt they lacked sufficient proof of felony intent and apprehensive that going after him on a technicality would “look petty and vindictive,” in response to the Hill.
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Responding to the brand new report, Comey took to Twitter to demand apologies from individuals he mentioned had “defamed” him, honing in on a line within the doc which famous that he didn’t share “categorized” info with the media (one thing Trump accused him of a number of instances).
Comey informed Fox Information final yr that he believed his memos weren’t a part of official FBI data, however his personal private aide-memoire. “I all the time considered it as mine,” he mentioned.
On-line, response to the brand new report ranged from anger and outrage over Comey “getting away with” it, to emotional defenses of Comey the “American patriot.”
Many pundits additionally speculated facetiously that he was seemingly subsequent in line to be employed by CNN as a contributor.
Congrats to James Comey for his new job as a CNN contributor
— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) August 29, 2019
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