Josh Marshall: Initial Details and Thoughts on Comey

[babylonsister]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/initial-details-and-thoughts-on-comey

Initial Details and Thoughts on Comey
By Josh Marshall Published May 9, 2017 6:06 pm


I can only remember a few times in twenty years in this business that I heard genuinely stunning news. Obviously 9/11 was stunning; natural disasters are stunning. But I mean political developments which are totally unexpected and substantially shocking. This is shocking.

I want to give some basic background. Let me first discuss the letters released by the White House, which explain the reasoning of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Deputy Attorney General who made the recommendation. We are only just reviewing the letters. But they appear to hang Comey’s firing on his handling of the Clinton probe, arguing that his July press conference was inappropriate, violated DOJ guidelines, etc. They also reference his October 28th email.

In other words, they are saying that they are firing Comey, in essence, for unfairness to Hillary Clinton.

To be fair, on the surface that are not talking about fairness but Comey’s violations of precedent and guidelines in choosing to speak out about Clinton. I believe this is true. Comey’s actions in both instances were entirely inappropriate and wrong. But, in context, this is highly disturbing since this is clearly not the reason why Comey was fired.

Notably in Trump’s letter to Comey he “thanks” Comey for purportedly three times telling Trump that he was not personally under investigation in the Trump/Russia probe.

This is a very, very dark development.

[dalton99a]

1. People will remember this day

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. He threw in the 3 occasions thing just to say "This has nothing to do with that fake news Russia

stuff" . What a pile of shit.

[Quixote1818]

3. This sounds desperate as hell. A Hail Mary from the opposite end-zone. nt

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. This is it. I think we are now at the punchline. Trump is toast. How many others, as well?

[babylonsister]

5. We are? Who will do anything now?

A special prosecutor could take years if an independent investigation is even decided on. So we get to live with this nightmare some more.
I'm so tired of it.

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. Let's see how this unfolds - compared to watergate, it is moving at the speed of light.

it is just that trump is so awful and destructive, each day seems to last one year!

[babylonsister]

9. I too have said this is moving so quickly, so thanks for

that needed reinforcement.

[Blue_Roses]

8. I agree.

This sealed the fate of his presidency.

[uppityperson]

7. this is wild. K&R

[babylonsister]

10. .