James Comey: The do-the-right-thing guy in email maelstrom

[webfact]

James Comey: The do-the-right-thing guy in email maelstrom

By NANCY BENAC and ERIC TUCKER

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director James Comey once called it a crucial leadership test: Anticipating whether a decision makes sense "through the eyes of others."

 

Now his own big decision has Democrats and even some Republicans wondering whether he failed his own test.

 

The FBI director who prides himself on moral rectitude and a squeaky-clean reputation is being criticized from all sides for lobbing a stink bomb into the center of the presidential race. His disclosure that investigators have found more emails that may — or may not — relate to Democrat Hillary Clinton's use of a private email setup as secretary of state has jolted the race and generated far more questions than answers.

 

This isn't the first time Comey has found himself in the spotlight for taking a stand on what the 6-foot-8 lawyer saw as the moral high ground.

 

Perhaps the last previous thing many Americans heard about Comey was the tale of his dramatic rush to the bedside of then-Attorney General John Ashcroft in a darkened hospital room in 2004 for a standoff with senior White House officials over federal wiretapping rules. Comey, serving as acting attorney general during Ashcroft's illness, dashed to the bedside to block Bush administration officials from making an end run to get Ashcroft's permission to reauthorize a secret no-warrant wiretapping program.

 

"That night was probably the most difficult night of my professional life," Comey testified before Congress in 2007.

Perhaps until now.

 

Former Justice Department officials and lawmakers from both parties are calling Comey's revelation about Clinton's emails just 11 days before the election an improper, astonishing and perplexing intrusion into politics in the critical endgame of the 2016 campaign.

 

It's an unexpected predicament for the man who has painted ethical decision-making as an easy call.

 

"There's right, and there's wrong, and it ain't hard to tell the difference," he once said.

 

That internal certitude has led the FBI official to freelance his positions at times.

 

Last year he broke from the White House in suggesting a possible link between police officers' anxieties about taking actions that could be recorded on viral videos and rising homicide rates in some American cities. The White House distanced itself from those remarks, saying there was no scientific evidence to support a connection, or show that officers were pulling back from their responsibilities.

 

Comey, a former Republican who is no longer registered with a political party, spent 15 years as a federal prosecutor before serving in the George W. Bush administration. His office brought the case that led to Martha Stewart's conviction on obstruction of justice and lying to government investigators. As an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia, he handled the investigation of the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers housing complex in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 members of the U.S. military.

 

President Barack Obama, when he nominated Comey for a 10-year-appointment to the FBI job in 2013, cited his willingness to stand up to power "at key moments when it's mattered most," referencing the hospital-room standoff.

 

Aides say Obama's high opinion of Comey still stands. But the White House is leaving the FBI director dangling, saying it is up to him to defend himself in the face of what spokesman Josh Earnest called "significant criticism from a variety of legal experts, including individuals who served in senior Department of Justice positions in administrations that were led by presidents in both parties."

 

Indeed, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a hard-line conservative and House Judiciary Committee member, told Fox News Radio that "this was probably not the right thing for Comey to do, the protocol here, to come out this close to an election. But this whole case has been mishandled, and now it is what it is."

 

And former Rep. Joe Walsh, a supporter of Donald Trump, tweeted that Comey's action amounted to an "unconstitutional abuse of government power against our electoral process. Just not right."

 

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada went a step further and accused Comey of deliberately inserting himself into the race to damage Clinton's presidential prospects, suggesting the FBI director may have broken the law.

 

Comey, 56, made his disclosure about the Clinton emails despite admonitions from officials within the Justice Department not to go there. It is longstanding Justice Department protocol to avoid taking investigative action in the run-up to an election that could affect its outcome.

 

Comey told colleagues that he felt obligated to go public with the information after having previously told Congress over the summer that the investigation into Clinton's emails had been concluded without prosecution.

 

Trying to explain his decision, he wrote to FBI employees that it would have been "misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record" despite the "significant risk of being misunderstood."

 

Christine Chung, a New York lawyer who worked with Comey when he was the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, described him as ever "determined to do the right thing."

 

The criticism he's faced over the email disclosure, she added, is a "lesson for why good people shouldn't go to Washington."

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-11-02

 

[jaidam]

Look at the fiasco the pro Clinton establishment has created. Clinton has been untouchable for way too long, recent events were unavoidable in the sense that to continue covering-up her crimes would only backfire even more spectacularly at a later date.

 Social media is in a frenzy over Hillary and Bills activities with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein aboard the good plane the Sex Lolita and include allegations of HRC and underage girls. More explosive than groupies flirting with a rich male reality tv star? Also the financial link between HRC, Abedin and terrorists. She has had better days!

[Searat7]

I will be very surprised if there are not some "big findings" in the large trove of emails found on Weiner's computer. Comey does not seem like the type to go out on the ledge without knowing something about the contents.  

[silent]

57 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

I will be very surprised if there are not some "big findings" in the large trove of emails found on Weiner's computer. Comey does not seem like the type to go out on the ledge without knowing something about the contents.  

 

For his sake I guess that better be right, because there isn't any way he didn't think a majority of people would think that too, and didn't his mentor recently get fired for being a little too self-indulged about criminal minds..

[Pinot]

2 hours ago, jaidam said:

Look at the fiasco the pro Clinton establishment has created. Clinton has been untouchable for way too long, recent events were unavoidable in the sense that to continue covering-up her crimes would only backfire even more spectacularly at a later date.

 Social media is in a frenzy over Hillary and Bills activities with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein aboard the good plane the Sex Lolita and include allegations of HRC and underage girls. More explosive than groupies flirting with a rich male reality tv star? Also the financial link between HRC, Abedin and terrorists. She has had better days!

 

Hey congrats on getting that much conspiracy bullshit into one irrelevant post.  Amazing. 

 

Suggest maybe a few days of abstinence from Breitbart, Stormfront and Alex Jones. It will make the election day results a little more palatable. 

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Pinot said:

 

Hey congrats on getting that much conspiracy bullshit into one irrelevant post.  Amazing. 

 

Suggest maybe a few days of abstinence from Breitbart, Stormfront and Alex Jones. It will make the election day results a little more palatable. 

 

Of course you can completely trust HRC when she says there is "no case to answer". Everything squeaky clean, above board and beyond reproach.

Just like you could trust her husband when as POTUS he told the American government and people, on oath, there were no sexual relations with him and Monica. 

 

How lucky Americans are to have such a wonderful potential first family and leader.

[Emster23]

Comey doesn't need to worry about his violation of the Hatch law: If Trump wins due to this release of innuendo (they hadn't seen ANY files yet, didn't have a search warrant) then I'll bet dollars to doughnuts Trump would pardon him lickity split

[Steely Dan]

If it turned out that Hillary were a mass murderer I wonder how many of her diehard Hillbots would still whine and gripe about FBI procedure. This is not Watergate, not even close, it's one of the largest RICO cases in history. The fact Comey didn't recommend prosecution at the first opportunity is a testimony to the reach of the corrupt Clinton machine, which causes everything it touches to rot and putrify.


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[lannarebirth]

7 minutes ago, Steely Dan said:

If it turned out that Hillary were a mass murderer I wonder how many of her diehard Hillbots would still whine and gripe about FBI procedure. This is not Watergate, not even close, it's one of the largest RICO cases in history. The fact Comey didn't recommend prosecution at the first opportunity is a testimony to the reach of the corrupt Clinton machine, which causes everything it touches to rot and putrify.


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That's what I keep thinking. It's a RICO case and it's super obvious that it is and all the evidence outlining the crimes and tying together co-conspirators is on public display, and what isn't soon will be.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

This isn't the first time Comey has found himself in the spotlight for taking a stand on what the 6-foot-8 lawyer saw as the moral high ground.

 

He better make sure the moral high ground is not quicksand. Usually these types at election time try and gauge who their new boss will be and play "the" game. At 6'8" its a long way to the ground. Almost seems like he is playing both sides against the middle. After the election I would not be surprised to see O'Bama give him an invite to the White House and not for tea. Stay tuned for my new movie "Fall Guys"

[Pinot]

1 hour ago, Steely Dan said:

If it turned out that Hillary were a mass murderer I wonder how many of her diehard Hillbots would still whine and gripe about FBI procedure. This is not Watergate, not even close, it's one of the largest RICO cases in history. The fact Comey didn't recommend prosecution at the first opportunity is a testimony to the reach of the corrupt Clinton machine, which causes everything it touches to rot and putrify.


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Oh my god, just incredible. If it turned out wishes were ponies blah, blah, blah? By the way spell putrify with an e. Better yet, don't use the ridiculous phrase "corrupt Clinton machine" and the word "putrefy" in the same sentence. 

 

It's an investigation into emails for crying out loud. Mass murder...jesus, mary and joseph. 

 

Is it me or is the desperation leaking into the conspiracy delusions? I swear the trumpeteers are off their meds. 

[Boon Mee]

Well, when you have almost 100 seasoned agents threatening to quit if Comey didn't get off his rear end and do the right thing...

 

http://www.newsmax.com/

[Steely Dan]

 
Oh my god, just incredible. If it turned out wishes were ponies blah, blah, blah? By the way spell putrify with an e. Better yet, don't use the ridiculous phrase "corrupt Clinton machine" and the word "putrefy" in the same sentence. 
 
It's an investigation into emails for crying out loud. Mass murder...jesus, mary and joseph. 
 
Is it me or is the desperation leaking into the conspiracy delusions? I swear the trumpeteers are off their meds. 

Conspiracy theory is about to become conspiracy fact. As for all your sub-standard demagoguery and flaming with every single post you make, it will be you who is eating crow soon enough.

P.s Any idea why Michelle Obama deleted all her Hillary tweets and no longer follows Her on Twitter?








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[CharlieK]

4 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Of course you can completely trust HRC when she says there is "no case to answer". Everything squeaky clean, above board and beyond reproach.

Just like you could trust her husband when as POTUS he told the American government and people, on oath, there were no sexual relations with him and Monica. 

 

How lucky Americans are to have such a wonderful potential first family and leader.

 

A little surprised trump has not used that against hrc! Can hardly accuse Trump of sexism when her own husband received a blowjob  in the oval office   No sexual relations indeed, and Americans believed that?

[Johpa]

I would have given Comey a pass on this apart from the timing of the FBI leak regarding Bill Clinton's pardon of  Marc Rich.  Although a sordid affair, the timing by the FBI clearly indicates political will and meddling of the always right-leaning FBI. This is even scarier than either of those two piss poor presidential candidates. The US is indeed going to hell in a hand basket and one of the factions that benefit mightily (always ask cui bono) is Putin and his putrid political machinations.

[sgtsabai]

And some people actually believe crap like newsmax and wants people with more than one working brain cell to believe it is a news source? Amazing. No wonder there are Trump supporters, no education except the far right lies. Comey is toast and rightly so. Maybe the next president will have learned from Obama's stupid try at appeasing the Republicans, oh I have a much better word for them, and stop hiring Republicans.

[Basil B]

And how secure is the Government Server???

 

I am pretty sure there are more like him around...

 

[Publicus]

 

Hope flops eternal over there.

 

Youse guys must be so sick of winning you've gone begging for it to stop.

 

Never got started.

[Pinot]

8 hours ago, Publicus said:

 

Hope flops eternal over there.

 

Youse guys must be so sick of winning you've gone begging for it to stop.

 

Never got started.

 

"Hope flops eternal" excellent

[Boon Mee]

Comey knew back in the beginning of October about these new damaging revelations but did a through job of vetting before going ahead.

 

Now it appears that the Clinton Foundation Indictment has been issued so it can''t be too much longer until Crooked Hllary is wearing an orange jumpsuit and breaking rocks in the hot sun!  

[Pinot]

17 hours ago, Steely Dan said:

Conspiracy theory is about to become conspiracy fact. As for all your sub-standard demagoguery and flaming with every single post you make, it will be you who is eating crow soon enough.

P.s Any idea why Michelle Obama deleted all her Hillary tweets and no longer follows Her on Twitter?
 

 

That last line didn't sound right. "Michelle deleted her Hillary tweets?" Wait, what? 

 

That's the great thing about not pledging allegiance to to furor Trump. You're able to detect the bullshit when it wafts up from the these wingnut websites and is repeated ad nauseum throughout the right wing conspiracy echo chamber. 

 

Once again Danny boy you've bought the wingnut farm from the usual sources. 

 

"Michelle deleted her Hillary tweets? That's OF COURSE bullshit. 

 

http://www.snopes.com/michelle-obama-scrubs-twitter/

 

Sub standard demagoguery lives to fight another day!    

 

6 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Comey knew back in the beginning of October about these new damaging revelations but did a through job of vetting before going ahead.

 

Now it appears that the Clinton Foundation Indictment has been issued so it can''t be too much longer until Crooked Hllary is wearing an orange jumpsuit and breaking rocks in the hot sun!  

 

Boon with the usual misinformation, wishfully posting ridiculous conspiracy nonsense. Obviously you've neglected to actually do a through (note your spelling) job of even attempting to vet this bullshit before transferring it from the wingnut website to here. 

 

You guys aren't even trying anymore. Please try? With your sources, I know that's hard, but if it doesn't sound like it's........ oh nevermind.  

 

I'm going back to bed. Just looked at the balance in my investment account. Seems the world doesn't cotton to cheeto jesus getting anywhere close to the reigns of the Presidency. Rightfully so. 

[Boon Mee]

2 minutes ago, Pinot said:

I'm going back to bed. Just looked at the balance in my investment account. Seems the world doesn't cotton to cheeto jesus getting anywhere close to the reigns of the Presidency. Rightfully so. 

You don't live in Nevada do you? 

 

[Pinot]

How do fake stories make it into the wingnut brain?

 

First step: Make something up like, " Michelle deletes all Hillary tweets." 

Second step: Mix the koolaid around the fringe websites 

Third step: Hannity repeats it for general distribution among the wingnuts...gulp gulp

Fourth step: Rinse. Repeat. 

 

http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/01/media/sean-hannity-michelle-obama-hillary-clinton-fake-news/

 

Everybody sing:

De Camptown ladies sing this song,
Doo-da, Doo-da,
De Camptown racetrack's five miles long,
Oh, de doo-da day.

 

Naive, like five year old children 

[Silurian]

Comey, do the right money thing...Let's see.  He was hired as a chief fixer by defense giant Lockheed Martin and paid $6.1 million plus another $11 million in free stock. Pretty damning article on Comey.

 

FBI’s Comey has a history as a political and corporate fixer

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fbis-comey-has-a-sinister-history-as-a-political-and-corporate-fixer-2016-11-02

 

[lannarebirth]

23 minutes ago, Silurian said:

Comey, do the right money thing...Let's see.  He was hired as a chief fixer by defense giant Lockheed Martin and paid $6.1 million plus another $11 million in free stock. Pretty damning article on Comey.

 

FBI’s Comey has a history as a political and corporate fixer

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fbis-comey-has-a-sinister-history-as-a-political-and-corporate-fixer-2016-11-02

 

 

It is not an article it is an opinion piece.

[Publicus]

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

You don't live in Nevada do you? 

 

 

Trump needs a dozen more of Nevada -- ten more at best.

 

They ain't there.

 

Tuesday night two states vital to foreshadowing the national outcome close their polls at 7:30 pm -- North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Trump needs 'em both. (The 15 other states in the Eastern Time Zone close at 8 pm. ETZ has more Electoral College votes than any other single Zone.)

 

The networks won't have any problem calling PA for HRC. NC we'll see.

 

There are a swarm of voters in deeply Red NC striving every minute to phase from a deep Red to a Blue. Something tells me the result in NC may well turn some people white. Either way, NC will be extremely close -- 1% difference at the most.

 

The Republican incumbent U.S. Senator in NC, Richard Burr, was a safe seat six months ago. The past two months he's been on the ropes. We'll also see if James Comey has managed to pull out NC in either the Potus race or the Senate race, both, or neither. It's up in the air as I write this with the tilt to HRC in both Potus and Senate.

 

If either wins both PA and NC it's going to be the same across the country to California -- the big win. Trump needs both of 'em and Trump would need to win Florida too -- anything less than a Trump hat trick with these three states won't do it. 

[Tawan Dok Krating Daeng]

19 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Well, when you have almost 100 seasoned agents threatening to quit if Comey didn't get off his rear end and do the right thing...

 

http://www.newsmax.com/

 

No such article at that link. Just making stuff up again are We?

 

By seasoned, you mean over the hill? Fossilized? Reactionary? Dirty Harry's? Past their Prime?

 

If these 'seasoned' agents do not have the recognized authority to back up their threats against President Clinton, then they are breaking the law and should be disciplined. Hatch Act of 1939 - Wikipedia

[Tawan Dok Krating Daeng]

19 hours ago, Steely Dan said:

Conspiracy theory is about to become conspiracy fact. As for all your sub-standard demagoguery and flaming with every single post you make, it will be you who is eating crow soon enough.

P.s Any idea why Michelle Obama deleted all her Hillary tweets and no longer follows Her on Twitter?








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More wishful thinking and black 'kettlery' from the fringe. How is Pinot's demagoguery any different from yours?

 

By the way, Hannity had to apologise for spreading the lie about Michelle Obama's twitter. Will you?

 

Sean Hannity sorry for fake story on Michelle Obama, Clinton

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/11/02/sean-hannity-sorry-for-fake-story-on-michelle-obama-clinton

 

Or under your Rules for Demagogues is lying ok if it is by your side?

[Pinot]

Never apologize. It shows weakness. 

[JHolmesJr]

20 hours ago, Steely Dan said:

P.s Any idea why Michelle Obama deleted all her Hillary tweets and no longer follows Her on Twitter?

 

why would she do that to 'My Girl'?

 

the obamas are all in on crooked hillary…they better pray they don't get spattered when the sh*& hits the fan.

Edited November 3, 2016 by JHolmesJr