The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Staff, Wire Reports
Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 06:34 PM
President Trump Blasts Former FBI James Comey In Wednesday Tweets
President Trump declared on Twitter
Wednesday that James Comey "totally protected Hillary Clinton," after
the FBI confirmed the former bureau boss drafted a statement on the
private email case two months before it was over.
In a series of tweets, Trump also swiped at the Justice Department,
seeming to suggest they review what he called an apparent "fix."
“Wow, FBI confirms report that James Comey drafted letter exonerating
Crooked Hillary Clinton long before investigation was complete,” Trump
tweeted. “Many people not interviewed, including Hillary Clinton
herself. Comey stated under oath that he didn’t do this –obviously a
fix? Where is Justice Dept?”
Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump
Wow, FBI confirms report that James Comey drafted letter exonerating
Crooked Hillary Clinton long before investigation was complete. Many..
Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump
...people not interviewed, including Clinton herself. Comey stated under
oath that he didn't do this-obviously a fix? Where is Justice Dept?
He followed up: "As it has turned out, James Comey lied and leaked and
totally protected Hillary Clinton. He was the best thing that ever
happened to her!"
Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump
As it has turned out, James Comey lied and leaked and totally protected
Hillary Clinton. He was the best thing that ever happened to her!
The flurry of tweets was in reference to the FBI releasing documents
this week that prove Comey began drafting a statement regarding the
Clinton email investigation months before he interviewed her and other
key witnesses. The document release was titled “Drafts of Director
Comeys July 5, 2016 Statement Regarding Email Server Investigation Part
01 of 01.”
The release bolstered critics' claims that Comey was drafting an
"exoneration statement" well before ending the case and recommending
against criminal charges.
The contents of the newly released emails, however, were largely unclear
as the majority of the document was redacted. The records, that are now
public, show the email titled “Midyear Exam—UNCLASSIFIED” was sent by
Comey on May 2, 2016 to FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, General
Counsel James Baker and James Rybicki, chief of staff and senior
counselor.
Trump's Wednesday challenge to the Justice Department regarding the
matter was a throwback to his summer criticism of the nation's top law
enforcement official, Attorney General Jeff Sessions. While Trump had
been at odds with one of his earliest supporters over the decision to
recuse in the Russia probe, Trump in recent weeks has dialed down that
criticism.
The existence of the Comey documents was first brought to light by Sen.
Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., after they reviewed transcripts with top
Comey aides who alluded to the email’s existence.
The Judiciary Committee penned a letter on Aug. 30 to newly appointed
FBI Director Christopher Wray noting their findings, saying that “it
appears that in April or early May of 2016, Mr. Comey had already
decided he would issue a statement exonerating Secretary Clinton. That
was long before FBI agents finished their work.”
“The outcome of an investigation should not be prejudged while FBI
agents are still hard at work trying to gather the facts,” the letter
stated.
The existence of these documents raised questions over Comey’s June 2017
Senate testimony regarding his decision to go public with findings in
the Clinton email investigation. Comey noted former Attorney General
Loretta Lynch’s involvement in the probe, including her controversial
meeting with former President Bill Clinton days before his wife was
interviewed.
Last week, the FBI said it uncovered 30 pages of documents related to
that controversial 2016 tarmac meeting.