Putin quips he's ready to grant asylum to ex-FBI chief Comey

[webfact]

Putin quips he's ready to grant asylum to ex-FBI chief Comey

By Dmitry Solovyov and Vladimir Soldatkin

 

Russian President Vladimir Putinattends a live nationwide broadcasted call-in in Moscow, Russia, June 15, 2017. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via REUTERS

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin joked on Thursday that if former FBI director James Comey suffers persecution because of his falling-out with U.S. President Donald Trump, Russia is ready to grant him asylum.

 

The offer, made with Putin's trademark sardonic humour, came as the Russian president poured scorn on Comey for his role in a row in Washington over alleged Russian meddling in last year's U.S. presidential election.

 

At a congressional hearing this month, Comey said Trump asked him to drop an investigation into contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials, while the U.S. president has accused Comey of not telling the truth.

 

Asked about Comey at a question-and-answer session with Russian voters,Putin said it was "strange" that, while still FBI director, Comey had passed the contents of a conversation he had with Trump to the media via a friend.

 

"What is the difference then between the FBI director and Mr. Snowden?" Putinsaid, referring to former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who was granted asylum in Russia in 2013 after leaking classified information about U.S. spy operations.

 

"In this case, he (Comey) is not the head of a special service but a human rights activist who defends a certain position," Putin said.

 

"By the way, if he is subject to any sort of persecution in connection with this, we will be ready to give him political asylum in Russia. And he should know about this."

 

Striking a more serious note, Putin said Comey, in his congressional testimony, had produced no proof that Russia had meddled in the U.S. election.

 

"I am not familiar in detail with the testimony given by former FBI director Comey," Putin said. "Again, he gave no evidence of this (Russian interference)."

 

"And what about constant U.S. propaganda, constant U.S. support of America-oriented non-governmental organisations by giving them money directly? Isn't it an impact on our minds? Isn't it an attempt to influence how we should behave during election campaigns? This continues year after year," he said.

 

Putin said many heads of state around the world had told him of similar U.S. meddling in their internal affairs. But they would not voice their concerns openly, fearing they would "spoil relations" with Washington, he said.

 

As for Russia, "we have an opinion of our own, we express it openly. But this is not any sort of underground, subversive activity", Putin said.

 

(Additional reporting by Polina Nikolskaya, Andrew Osborn, Alexander Winning, Katya Golubkova, Maria Tsvetkova and Maria Kiselyova; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov and Christian Lowe; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-16

[darksidedog]

Putin is a shrewd cookie. The West always disbelieves and distrusts what he says and he knows it. By scorning Comey, Putin is simply adding fuel to the fire.

[Luckysilk]

Is he willing to take Hillary and Bill ? I'd chip in to help cover the cost.

[yooyoo]

Go Vladimir go! Put it in!

[Revolutionary]

Democrat hypocrites. The U.S. Has been meddling, interfering, influencing overseas country elections forever. When there is a sniff that maybe there was some overseas influence in their elections they are up in arms. Stones / glass houses. You get the picture. 

[mamypoko]

Watch Your six, Vlad. You might need a place to run.

Seems a few of your people are none to happy with you.

[coulson]

Putin is playing some serious chess, and enjoying it...

[sujoop]

Some more details in this AFP report:

- Attack on Navalny - 'Asked by the BBC whether he sees Navalny as a political competitor following nationwide protests organised by the Kremlin critic, Putin lost his cool'

https://www.yahoo.com/news/putin-talks-grandchildren-offers-comey-asylum-phone-133650628.html

 

Putin further stated that sanctions were placed on Russia by those 'who fear a serious competitor'... He also revealed he has grand children for the first time which prompted the following comment below the article: 'Aww, the murdering autocrat who stole billions has grandkids. How cute...'
 

Trump supporters can be forgiven for admiring Putin, both have used dubious methods to acquire wealth and both make 'unfriendly' reporters sit at the far back (if permitted to attend at all). Also, both enjoy joking over firing Comey and obstructing justice (but may not be laughing for too long)

 

'President Trump meets with Russian officials at the White House.
American journalists were barred. Photo credit Russian Foreign Ministry'

“I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job” Trump tells Russian officials
“I faced great pressure because of Russia (investigations). That’s taken off.”

 

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2017 by sujoop

[sujoop]

Meanwhile, as Putin & Co laugh their @sses off at the ease of playing the simple man-child that is Trump (and as the vast majority in the US and the world sadly shake their heads at what has become of America),  Trump goes about appointing law makers which one supposes he sees as NOT being nut-jobs like Comey....

 

Trump picks right-wing blogger for a judgeship, his confirmation hearing was a complete train wreck

'Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to pick the guy who compared abortion to slavery? Here’s a pro tip. If you are a judicial nominee, and you have to spend much of your confirmation hearing denying that you endorsed birtherism, maybe “judge” isn’t the ideal job for you'.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/efa186fb-324f-353f-8f06-9c57dacc0319/ss_trump-picks-right-wing.html

 

[dunroaming]

Putin is laughing his head off at the American circus and enjoying every minute of it.

[Morch]

Trolling. That's how you do it.

Gotta hand it to him, he's a pro.

[ilostmypassword]

7 hours ago, Revolutionary said:

Democrat hypocrites. The U.S. Has been meddling, interfering, influencing overseas country elections forever. When there is a sniff that maybe there was some overseas influence in their elections they are up in arms. Stones / glass houses. You get the picture. 

And if citizens of those countries were conspiring with the USA, most likely they would be liable to punishment under the laws of their respective nations. 

[WhyYouTalkMeBad]

Why can't we have just one global leader. Vlad gets things done!

[boomerangutang]

Lots of great political cartoons here (theweek.com)

 

Here's one. . . . . .

 

 

[boomerangutang]

1 hour ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

Why can't we have just one global leader. Vlad gets things done!

I get your point, tho I'd rather see Trudeau or Macron in that role.   Trump shat on his role as leader, the minute he started reading articles from the Sputnik (Kremlin's newspaper) to his adoring, gun-totting fans.

[Redline]

11 hours ago, Luckysilk said:

Is he willing to take Hillary and Bill ? I'd chip in to help cover the cost.

They will take anyone they think they can get something out of.  Their population is dropping as well

[Redline]

10 hours ago, Revolutionary said:

Democrat hypocrites. The U.S. Has been meddling, interfering, influencing overseas country elections forever. When there is a sniff that maybe there was some overseas influence in their elections they are up in arms. Stones / glass houses. You get the picture. 

You mean democracy hypocrites, although there are plenty of republicans that don't care about democracy.  If you haven't noticed in your lifetime (maybe you are just cluing in), it has always been this game.  Either way, retaliation is necessary~that's how it works, whether you like it, or don't.  I can say that, for the most part, people in the world like freedom more than restriction~thus the immigrant problems in democratic countries.  Not a lot of problems for Russia and China trying to keep people out.  That may change in the future.  Governments will be governments.  You get the picture