Comey Comes Out Swinging, Hits White House For ‘Defaming’ Him With ‘Lies’

Former FBI Director James Comey dropped a bombshell preview of his testimony on Wednesday—describing a series of “inappropriate” interactions with President Donald Trump. On Thursday, he went a step further, slamming way the White House justified firing him in early May.

“Although the law required no reason at all to fire an FBI director, the administration then chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI by saying that the organization was in disarray,” he said. “That it was poorly led. That the workforce had lost confidence in its leader. Those were lies, plain and simple. And I am so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them and I’m so sorry the American people were told them.”

Comey said he was “confused” and “increasingly concerned” that the president first said Comey was fired because of his mishandling of the Clinton email investigation, then said in a TV interview just a day later that he was thinking about the Russia investigation when he made the decision, then directed his press secretaries to say Comey poorly led the FBI and had lost the “faith” of his employees. Still more troubling, he said, were reports that Trump bragged to Russian officials that Comey was a “nut job” and that his dismissal took “great pressure” off of his administration.

As Comey spoke, the senators on the committee scribbled notes and stared at him intently. More than 100 journalists typed furiously on laptops as the pack of guests and interns crammed into the back of the room held their breath in anticipating.

Comey concluded his opening statement by assuring the public that despite the scandal that has recently gripped Washington, they should continue to trust the FBI and its investigations: “I want the American people to know this truth: the FBI is honest. The FBI is strong. And the FBI is and always will be independent.”